Dimensional Dislocation
by Kleineganz
Summary: Anders and Fenris are summoned by Merrill. She pleads with them to help her try to activate the Eluvian with their fade energy and they find themselves sucked through the magical portal and thrown into a strange world. They will need each other and their wits to survive.
1. Prelude

Fenris arrived in the alienage with trepidation. He hated alienages, the elves there as much slaves to their poverty as the elves in Tevinter were slaves in reality. He quickly made his way to Merrill's home, ignoring the greetings from other elves as he passed. He'd rushed here on Merrill's request, fearing there was something wrong with Hawke.

Knocking on Merrill's door, he slipped quickly inside as soon as the door was opened. Once inside the dark dwelling he noted that Anders stood on the opposite side of the room, apparently also summoned by the Dalish elf.

"Oh good, now that you're both here, we can begin," Merrill chirped happily.

"Wait, why were we summoned? Is Hawke in trouble?" Fenris growled.

"Oh, no. Hawke is fine. This isn't about Hawke," Merrill said with a blush.

"What is this about then?" Anders spoke up. "I really prefer not to spend more time in the proximity of this prickly, mage-hating elf than absolutely necessary."

"If this isn't about Hawke, then no worries, _mage_. I'll be leaving now," Fenris grumbled.

"Oh! No! You can't go yet Fenris, please," Merrill pleaded. "I need help from both of you or this just won't work. Please stay and let me explain."

Fenris hesitated but then silently nodded. If Hawke wasn't so fond of this blood mage he wouldn't hesitate to leave, but he hated to disappoint Hawke by not helping his friend.

"Oh good! Thank you Fenris, and thank you Anders. I really don't think I can do this without both of you," Merrill began. "Do you remember, a few weeks ago when you were both here, with Hawke and Aveline, and you both began to argue like you always do? Then it escalated and Justice tried to attack you Fenris, and you activated your lyrium ghost abilities in defense?"

"Yes, I remember that quite clearly, stop babbling and get to the point," Fenris growled.

"Oh yes, sorry. I know I babble. So sorry. Anyway that night I noticed the Eluvian I've been trying to restore react when you were both glowing. I … I would like your help to see if your combined Fade energies can maybe help me restore it. I would be ever so grateful if you both could help me, please," Merrill pleaded. "I know neither of you like me very much, but this could mean a lot to the elven people. Please."

Anders looked at the blood mage suspiciously. If he and Fenris had anything at all in common, it was their mutual distrust for the Dalish blood mage. "What exactly do you want us to do?"

"Oh, it's simple really. Just go all glowy and touch the Eluvian. I want to see if that will help activate it again. Please?" Merrill said hopefully.

Fenris and Anders knew that nothing Merrill had tried so far had worked to activate the Eluvian, and they were both fairly certain it would never work. If they refused to help Merrill they were certain she'd go crying to Hawke and he'd lecture them, again, about being nicer to her.

Anders sighed. "Alright, fine. Justice doesn't think this is such a good idea, but I doubt this will do anything. Fenris, what do you think?"

Fenris scowled but reluctantly agreed. "I'll activate my brands and touch the blasted mirror if it will keep you from running off and crying to Hawke about us again."

"Oh, thank you! You don't know how much this means to me." Merrill squeaked with gratitude. "Alright well there is not much needed to prepare. I suggest you both put down your weapons, as their magic may interfere with this, and Fenris please remove your gauntlets. I feel it has a better chance of success if you touch with your fingers directly."

Anders nodded to Fenris and they both did as Merrill asked, leaning their weapons up against the wall away from the Eluvian, and then Fenris removed his gauntlets. Then they approached the Eluvian, and Anders allowed Justice to come to the forefront, his eyes glowing blue and blue cracks appearing under his skin.

"THIS IS FOOLISH. WE ARE DEALING WITH VERY OLD, DANGEROUS MAGIC," Justice said, staring at Merrill.

"Oh yes, I know it is old magic, but I think it would greatly benefit the elven people. Please Justice, I really need to restore this Eluvian. Please?!" Merrill pleaded again.

"YOU ARE A FOOL ELF, BUT ANDERS AGREED. HE FEELS HE SHOULD TRY TO HELP. I WILL NOT MAKE HIM GO BACK ON HIS PROMISE." Justice surprisingly agreed.

Looking warily at Justice, Fenris activated his brands, phasing into his lyrium ghost state. He and Justice approached the Eluvian and the mirrored surface began to react to their combined Fade energies, swirling patterns across the surface of the mirror.

"Oh, it's working! Please, please touch it. I hope that will permanently restore it." Merrill squeaked in excitement.

Justice and Fenris reached out their hands simultaneously, their fingers touching the surface of the Eluvian. As soon as their fingers brushed past the mirrored surface, they both knew something was horribly wrong, but before either one of them could react they felt themselves pulled forward, being sucked into the Eluvian by some strong, magical force.

The last thing either of them heard before being pulled in completely was Merrill's scream.

Anders felt like he was being torn apart from the inside. He screamed silently in the swirling mists, his arms and legs flailing for purchase with something, anything, falling for what seemed like an eternity.

Fenris' entire body felt like it was on fire. He hadn't felt pain like this since the ritual that had branded the lyrium into his skin all those years ago. The pain continued to intensify until the warrior could take no more and mercifully blacked out.

Anders and Fenris awoke next to each other, both still wracked with pain. Anders slowly brought himself into a sitting position, looking around. They were no longer in Merrill's alienage hovel. It was night, and they were surrounded by trees, lying on damp grass. Overhead the sky seemed to strangely glow and in the distance he heard strange sounds.

"Where in Thedas are we?" Anders groaned, mostly to himself.


	2. Strange Surroundings

Fenris moaned in pain next to the mage. "Fool mage. Heal me already, before I tear that bleeding heart of yours out of your chest!"

Anders looked down at the elf and was shocked – Fenris' lyrium brands had all turned from their usual white to completely black. He then tried to call upon his healing magic to try and ease the elf's pain.

That's when Anders screamed. "My magic! What happened to my magic?!"

"What do you mean, mage?" Fenris grunted through his pain.

"My magic … it's gone." Anders whispered sorrowfully. "I can't feel it anymore. Even when dosed with magebane, unable to cast, I could always feel my magic. It's … it's completely gone!"

"You don't sound like you've been made tranquil," Fenris grunted again.

"No, I … I don't feel tranquil. But my connection to the Fade is definitely cut off," Anders began and then seemed to panic anew. "Justice … Justice is also gone. Oh Maker, what have we done?!"

"You mean what Merrill has done. We wouldn't be in this mess if we hadn't helped that damnable blood mage!" Fenris growled.

"What should we do? I feel crippled without my magic," Anders whined.

"This is definitely one time I wish you did have your magic," Fenris said through gritted teeth. "This pain threatens to overwhelm me again. Do you have any healing potions?"

Anders rifled through one of the small packs on his belt and found a potion. "Here, hopefully this will help."

Fenris grabbed the vial and drank the potion greedily, grimacing at the bitter taste of elfroot. It slowly seemed to take the edge off the pain, although it didn't dull it completely. "Thanks."

Anders nodded, still looking panicked.

Fenris sighed, taking off his gauntlets and gestured for the mage to come closer. "Let's rest until daylight, and then we can figure out where we are and how to get back to Kirkwall."

Anders curled up next to the elf, drawing comfort from the familiar despite their years of mutual animosity. Right now he was too frightened to think straight and he just clung to Fenris like a terrified child.

As Fenris drifted to sleep, he kept picturing himself tearing Merrill's heart from her body, assuming he'd ever be able to use his lyrium ghost abilities again.

First they would have to find their way back home.

Anders and Fenris were awakened by a frightening noise. It started off in the distance, a loud rumble coming from the sky. They looked up as the sound approached closer and closer until it flew directly overhead, roaring loudly. At first they thought it might be a dragon, but it was the strangest dragon they had ever seen – the body was sleek and cylindrical, with no obvious head, and the wings were oddly shaped and stationary.

"What was that?" Anders asked.

Fenris merely shook his head.

Fenris was still in considerable pain, but thankfully less than he had been. For the first time he actually took notice that his lyrium lines had changed color. Something had happened to the lyrium in his skin, which explained why he'd been experiencing so much pain.

"Are there any more potions?" Fenris asked hoarsely.

Anders checked and drew out another vial "Only one. I wasn't expecting to be transported out of Kirkwall or I would have stocked up more."

"Hopefully we can find more elfroot along the way. Whatever happened to my brands is causing me considerable pain," Fenris explained.

"I figured as much last night. I'm guessing whatever cut me off from the Fade also affected the lyrium in your skin," Anders speculated.

Once the healing potion took the edge off of Fenris' pain, they got up and started walking. In the distance they still heard strange sounds, like the distant rumble of continuous thunder. At first they were trying to walk in the opposite direction from the sounds, until it became clear that they came from every direction. Based on the sun's position and the current temperature, they figured they were somewhere north of Kirkwall, and so they decided to head south, which led them downhill and out of the mountainous terrain they found themselves in.

They had walked for perhaps an hour when the sounds kept getting louder. Anders was annoyed that they hadn't seen any familiar healing herbs along the way. The trees and grasses seemed similar to areas he'd been to in other areas of Thedas, but everything else seemed … strange.

Suddenly the trees became sparse, and instead of opening up to a meadow or field, it opened up to … the strangest sight they had yet seen. They came upon what was clearly a roadway, and they discovered what was making the strange sounds they had heard: odd looking carriages that were propelled very fast along the roadway … without horses.

"What foul magic is this!?" Fenris growled, still in a foul mood because of his pain.

"We're not in Tevinter, are we?" Anders asked, in awe.

"I have been away from Tevinter for nearly ten years now, but no. Tevinter couldn't have changed that much since I ran from Danarius," Fenris replied.

"Then where in Thedas are we?!" Anders asked.

"I don't know, but perhaps we should avoid the roadway for now. We have no idea what forms of magic are in use in this land." Fenris suggested.

"What if we follow the roadway from within the tree line, so we can't be seen?" Anders recommended. "I would bet this roadway leads to a village or city of some sort. Perhaps there we can get some answers?"

So they decided to follow the roadway traveling east, hoping it would bring them to some sort of civilization soon. They walked for several hours seemingly continuing to angle downhill, coming further out of the mountainous terrain, until the forest receded entirely and they were faced with yet another roadway perpendicular to the one they were already following. There were some sparse establishments on the other side of the roadways here, but it seemed a daunting task to try and cross one with all the carriages speeding along them.

Fenris and Anders had spotted a small stream a short trek back the way they had come and decided it was best to head back to that and make camp within the trees, as the daylight was receding fast.

When they reached the stream they trekked along it back into the tree line. They greedily drank from the stream after their long day of walking. They both remarked on how the water tasted odd to them compared to streams they had drank from near Kirkwall, but thought nothing more of it. They had no provisions with them so they had to sleep on empty stomachs, curled up next to each other for warmth.

Several hours later, while it was still dark, Anders stirred and noted how the sounds from the roadway were greatly diminished from earlier. He nudged Fenris. "Hey it sounds like there are almost no carriages on the roadway now. Do you think we should make an attempt to cross one?"

Fenris nodded in agreement and they set out, back to the crossroads they had seen earlier. There were indeed almost no carriages to be seen and it was a matter of relative ease to cross the roadways now. They made their way across to a large, well-lit establishment that appeared yet to be open, despite the late hour.

"How much coin do you have Fenris? I have about ten silver on me currently," Anders asked the elf.

"I have about fifty silver. Hopefully they have food for purchase at this hour," Fenris replied.

They walked towards the door, looking at it all in wonder. The establishment must belong to a powerful mage to have so many lights glowing. The temperature was also noticeably cooler inside as they stepped through the door. A continuous cooling spell seemed to be in effect.

The merchant immediately took notice and yelled at Fenris "Hey! Can't you read, freak!? No shirt, no shoes, NO SERVICE!"

Fenris looked down at his bare feet and for the first time felt ashamed at never having acquired the habit of wearing boots.

"I'll go wait outside Anders. Please whatever you get, don't buy anything for me with fish. I hate fish." Fenris said with a sigh and made his way back outside to sit on a bench near the entrance.

Anders spent some time looking over the strange food choices, trying to ask the merchant questions, but was soundly ignored. He finally settled on a couple of what looked like sausages rotating slowly on what appeared to be heated metal rollers. He also grabbed what looked like ale in bottles from inside of a large cabinet with glass doors, powered by more cold magic.

When Anders approached the counter with his selections, the merchant dully said "I.D."

"Excuse me? What is I.D.?" Anders asked, honestly.

"Identification? Photo I.D.? Something that proves to me that you are of a legal age to drink those?" the merchant asked with a sneer.

"I'm sorry, I have no such identification. I have never heard of a legal age to drink, but assuredly someone that is in his thirties should be old enough?" Anders inquired.

"Yeah, the legal age is twenty-one, but if you can't prove you're in your thirties, I can't sell you those," the merchant explained.

"Well then what can you sell me?" Anders asked, becoming annoyed.

The merchant walked out from behind his counter and grabbed the beer putting them back, and instead grabbing two bottles of something dark brown, nearly black.

"I can sell you soda. These OK?" the merchant asked.

"I suppose they'll have to do, thank you," Anders replied politely.

"That'll be eight dollars and fifty-seven cents," the merchant stated.

"I don't have dollars, but I have silver. Will five silver be enough?" Anders asked, holding out the coin.

"Whoa buddy, we don't accept foreign currency here. You gotta pay with American money," said the merchant testily.

"It's the only coin I have, and my friend and I are starving. We haven't eaten in over a day now. Please, there must be some way we can pay for this," Anders responded.

The merchant sighed. "Look, fine I'll let you have it, on one condition; I never see either of you two again. Now get out of here before I change my mind!"

"Thank you!" Anders said gratefully, grabbing the sausages and bottles of something called 'soda,' and rushed back outside.

"Here Fenris, it's all I could get," Anders explained. He then sat next to Fenris greedily consuming the sausage and then washing it down with the strange soda.

"Mmm sweet. I like it." Anders said after his first tentative taste. Fenris also nodded in approval.

Anders then explained to Fenris what had happened inside and the fact that their coin was not acceptable in this land, and that they needed something called 'I.D.' in order to purchase ale or other alcohol.

The sun had just started to crest on the horizon as they finished their small meal. "Where to now?" Anders asked the elf.

"We keep following the roadway until we find the city it leads to," Fenris responded with a shrug. "Perhaps someone there can tell us more about where we are and how to get back to Kirkwall."

So the mage and elf set back out, following the strange roadway east.


	3. Meeting Henry

The farther east Anders and Fenris traveled along the roadway, the more the mountains encroached, forming steep cliffs on either side. Ultimately, the pair was forced to walk along the side of the roadway itself. They were both wary of the speeding carriages that flew past them, and more than once Fenris was regretting his lack of footwear, as the side of the roadway was strewn with sharp, jagged rocks and pebbles.

Sometime after midday, one of the many carriages flying past them slowed down and pulled out of the roadway to the side that seemed designed for carriages that needed to stop. Fenris and Anders had passed several of these already, but this was the first time they'd seen a carriage make use of one.

The carriage remained still in front of them, the lights on the back of it glowing an angry red. They slowed down and eyed the carriage warily, wondering if they had done something wrong.

That's when one of the carriage doors opened and out came a young man, who couldn't have seen his twenty-fifth name day yet. He had a slim build, dusty blonde hair and wore clothing that appeared strange to Fenris and Anders. His breeches were blue and were worn loosely. His shirt and jacket were of an odd weave, softer than the standard rough spun they were used to seeing in Thedas, and the jacket had a hood not unlike those sported by some mages, and closed by some strange means that didn't appear like the normal laces or buckles, but instead some kind of metal strip.

The young man approached them amiably, not bearing any weapons. "Hey, sweet cosplays! Do you guys need a ride?" The young man asked.

"Cosplays?" Anders asked. "I am unfamiliar with that word."

"Your costumes? You're heading to Denver Comic-Con, right?" The young man asked.

"Is that the name of the nearest city? Denver Comic-Con?" Anders asked, forming his mouth around the strange words.

"Well the city is named Denver, yeah," the young man said, confused. "Comic-Con is just a big convention for cosplayers like you. Isn't that were you're going?"

"Um, well we're … new in this land. We were just trying to get to the nearest town or city," Anders explained.

"Well, it's still another one hundred and fifty miles into Denver. You sure you don't want a ride?" the young man offered again.

"A ride would be appreciated," Fenris spoke up, looking at the soles of his cut up feet.

"Woah, yeah you better get that taken care of. Where are your shoes?" the young man asked.

"I generally don't wear any, but I have never traversed terrain quite like this before," Fenris admitted.

"Well get in, I'll take you into the city," the young man said, guiding the two over to the strange carriage. "My name is Henry by the way. What are your names?"

"I'm Anders, and the elf is Fenris," Anders offered.

"Woah, you two are really into the whole role-playing thing, aren't you? Right on, I can respect that," Henry said as they all got into the carriage. Anders opted to sit next to Henry in front, while Fenris took a seat in the back.

As Henry began to pull back into the speeding flow of carriages, he said "don't forget to buckle up!" before he was speeding along at impossible speeds along the roadway.

At first Anders was terrified at how fast they were traveling, visibly shaking. Fenris wasn't doing much better in the back, actually ducking down and crouching low behind the front seats.

"Hey guys, are you two alright?" Henry asked.

"W … why … are you traveling so fast?" Anders managed to get out, his face white as a sheet.

"What do you mean? I'm just driving the speed limit. It's 65 along this stretch," Henry replied.

"65 what?" Anders gasped.

"65 miles-per-hour of course," Henry replied. "Man you two are really weird. You guys on some kind of drugs or something?"

"Drugs?" Anders asked, clearly still confused.

"Drugs! You know, like illegal medicine?" Henry explained "what are you two trippin' on exactly?"

Anders sighed. "I think we are confused because we are from another land, another place. Where we come from, things are very … different."

"Well take a deep breath and calm down you guys. It shouldn't take long to get into the city as long as traffic keeps going smoothly," Henry explained. "Here, let me put on some music."

Henry pushed a button in the center of the carriage between himself and Anders, and all of a sudden they were surrounded by the thrumming beat of whatever it was that Henry considered music. It sounded odd to their ears, with harsh drum beats and otherworldly sounds of instruments. The bards sang with a rough melody with words and phrases Anders and Fenris could not easily make out.

"Gotta love _Imagine Dragons_ , right? They just fuckin' rock!" Henry yelled over the loud music, tapping his hands on the wheel in front of him, in time to the driving beat of the music.

"Those are dragons?" Anders asked, shocked.

Henry looked at Anders like he was starting to wonder what kind of crazy people he had let into his car.

Anders decided it was probably for the best that he didn't say anything else until they reached the city.

They drove along with the strange music continuing. After what seemed like endless mountains, they finally crested a hill, and the mountains opened up to a wide expanse of plains and … the most magnificent city Anders had ever seen.

"Fenris," Anders breathed in wonder. "Do you see this?"

Fenris had remained tucked down in the seat, still too frightened of the speed they were traveling to look out of the window. He peeked his head up to see the skyline of a gleaming, glittering cityscape. Spires that looked like they were made of stone, glass and metal rose up from the flat plains surrounding it.

"Welcome to Denver!" Henry said, still a bit wary of these two very strange men.

"It looks more wondrous than Arlathan!" Fenris breathed.

Henry let out an exasperated sigh and turned off the radio. "Look, I get it. You two are really into your Dragon Age role play, but come on. Drop the act please? I love those games as much as the next geek, but this is really too much. Heck, even you two gotta admit, Dragon Age 2 wasn't even that good!"

Anders was about to mumble something when he spotted something in the sky. "Look Fenris, it's another one of those strange dragons, and there's another one! They seem to be headed for Denver. Quick Henry, we need to hurry. Fenris and I have some experience dealing with dragons."

"Without our weapons, your magic or my lyrium abilities, there is not much we can do Anders," Fenris huffed.

All of a sudden Henry pulled his car to the side of the roadway. "Alright that's enough. You two weirdos get out. I was trying to be nice but I can't deal with you two being stuck in your role playing."

"We're not playing, Henry," Anders started to say. Then all of a sudden Fenris let out a groan of pain, dragons and all else forgotten.

"The healing potion, it's worn off," Fenris said through gritted teeth.

"Shit, are you going into withdrawal or something?" Henry asked.

"No, his lyrium markings. Something has happened to them when we were transported here. It's causing him pain. I only had a couple of healing potions left. Do you have a means for making more? I couldn't find any elfroot while we made our way through the forest," explained Anders.

"Elfroot? There is no such thing. But if you really need something to help the pain, I can take you to a pharmacy. Hang on I know one close to here." Henry said as he restarted the carriage and continued along the roadway.

Soon Henry exited the roadway towards a smaller one until they arrived in front of brick structure with large windows, showing a well-lit interior, not unlike the small shop they had frequented the night before.

"You two stay in the car. I'll be right back," Henry said firmly.

Fenris continued to groan in pain, curled up on the backseat of the carriage … car … while Anders looked around, fretting. He wondered how soon those dragons would begin their attack, while they sat there, helpless and unable to do anything about them.

Soon Henry returned with his purchases. He quickly opened a white bottle with bright colors, tearing off what looked like a thin metallic film over the mouth of it and extracting cotton fluff. He then took out two small, round objects and handed them to Fenris with a bottle that looked like it was filled with water.

"Here, take these. I hope these can help with the pain. I couldn't get you anything stronger without a prescription," Henry apologized.

Fenris eyed the two objects suspiciously at first, but was then wracked with pain again and hurriedly grabbed them and swallowed them along with half of the bottle of water.

"I had a feeling you both would be thirsty after trekking along the interstate like that," Henry said, handing another bottle to Anders, who took it gratefully and began to greedily drink it.

"I also grabbed some stuff for your feet, we'll need to get those cuts cleaned up and bandaged, and I grabbed a cheap pair of flip-flops since that's all they carry at this store. They'll at least keep your feet from getting more cut up." Henry explained as he gestured to the white sack he'd brought back into the car with him.

"I'm guessing you guys don't have a place to stay, right?" Henry looked at them pointedly.

Anders shook his head. "No, we don't. We weren't exactly planning to be … here."

"Alright, look. I'll let you both crash at my place for tonight. We'll figure something else out tomorrow." Henry said, making the car come to life once again. They were now going along smaller roadways and moving at slower speeds than before. Fenris felt less terrified and was able to sit up and watch with wonder as they sped past strange architecture and even stranger clothed people.

Fenris began to note that he didn't see a single elf, dwarf or qunari among all the people they passed, only humans.

"Is this city only populated with humans?" Fenris dared to ask.

"Well, our entire planet is populated with humans, what's your point?" Henry asked.

"Where are all the elves? Dwarves? Qunari?" Fenris asked pointedly.

"There are no elves or qunari and dwarves are just really short humans, often born with a genetic defect," Henry explained, deciding to just play along with their delusions for now, explaining things as if they really came from a different world.

"No … elves? Where in Thedas are we that there are no elves?" Anders asked.

"You're not in Thedas. Thedas doesn't exist," Henry said with irritation. Whatever these two were tripping on, it was bad.

"But … I'm an elf. If there are no elves, how do you explain me?" Fenris asked.

"You're not an elf. You're just human with make-up on. Either that or really extreme body modifications, if you really are that far into deluding yourself that the world of Dragon Age is real," Henry said sternly.

Fenris growled. "I am not deluding myself. I may have no memory of what I was before Danarius put these markings upon my flesh, but I know I was most certainly born an elf!"

Henry turned into the smallest roadway they had seen yet and pulled over, turning off the car.

Anders feared they would be once again threatened to be kicked out on the roadway again, and he knew they very much needed Henry's help. "I apologize. The elf can be quite prickly at times, don't mind him, please," Anders pleaded.

"Look, we're here. This is where I live, ok? Let's go inside and we can talk," said Henry, looking exasperated.

"What about the dragons we saw heading for the city?" Anders asked.

"Those weren't dragons, the city is safe," Henry said, before turning around and heading away from the car.

Anders and Fenris followed Henry into a large building that looked to have several dwellings inside, not unlike many alienage apartments. Anders let Fenris lean on him as walking for the elf had become difficult. They stopped at one door and Henry pulled keys out of his pocket and opened it, letting himself and his very strange companions inside.

"Alright you guys can crash in my living room tonight, but I think I want to make some things really clear first, ok?" Henry began, indicating the two should seat themselves on the sofa. "I don't know what kind of real-life role-playing game you guys are playing, but it really has to stop. I don't know if you're on some kind of drugs or escaped from a mental institution or what, but you cannot be from Thedas. You are not Anders and Fenris from the Dragon Age 2 game. Please drop the act, or I will kick you both out right now, got it?"

Anders took a deep breath. "Henry, I know you don't believe us, and we're really confused right now ourselves. Can I tell you how we came to be walking along that roadway that you found us on? Maybe things will make more sense then?"

Henry rolled his eyes. "Fine."

Anders related how they had been summoned by Merrill, how she had asked them to activate their unique Fade energy powered abilities, to see if it could activate her Eluvian. He explained how, when he and Fenris touched the surface of the Eluvian, it had sucked them in and the next thing they knew was pain, followed by waking up amongst the trees near the roadway.

Anders then went on to explain how they had found their way to a merchant at a crossroads, before continuing along the roadway until Henry came upon them.

"Until the day before yesterday, we have never been here before. We certainly have never heard of a magnificent city named Denver nestled near mountains as breathtaking as the Frostbacks," Anders said as he concluded his tale.

Henry stared at them for a few moments. That part about the Eluvian certainly was never in the game. If they were role-playing, they were doing so with some very vivid imaginations. He also noticed that Fenris' markings were the wrong color.

"If you're really Fenris, former slave from Tevinter, your markings should be white, and you should speak fluent Latin, which you would call Tevene," Henry said.

"My markings were changed after we came through the Eluvian. I don't know why but I think it's the reason I have been in such pain." Fenris explained. " _Quid ergo dicemus quod persuasero_ , Henry?"

"Woah, wait, was that Latin?" asked Henry.

"It was Tevene. I asked 'what can we say that will convince you?'" Fenris replied.

"Hang on … say it again … more slowly," Henry requested, pulling a small rectangle from his pocket, that lit up in his hand. Anders and Fenris both jumped back at the sight, hitching their breaths.

"What type of magic is that?" Anders breathed in reverence.

Henry sighed once again. "It's not magic, it's technology. It's a smart phone. Look, just say that Tevene phrase again Fenris, more slowly." He held up the glowing _technology_ up near Fenris' face, who looked at it with severe trepidation.

" _Quid … ergo … dicemus … quod … persuasero_?" said Fenris, slowly.

The technology … smart phone … began to speak in a strange feminine voice. " _Quid ergo dicemus quod persuasero?_ Language: Latin. Translation: what can we say that will convince you?"

Fenris jumped back, crouching on the sofa like a wild animal at the sound of the disembodied voice and information it provided.

"How can … that … speak?!" Fenris asked in fright. "Have you trapped a demon with it?"

"No, there's no demon. Like I said, it's technology." Henry sighed again and then scrutinized the pair. Their costumes … clothing … were both in-game accurate down to some very fine details. He could clearly see that Fenris wasn't wearing make-up. His markings were clearly burned into his skin, and his long, pointed ears weren't fake either.

"Look, I'm starting to think I might be wrong about you two, but it's getting late and I'm really tired from driving all day. Let's take care of those torn up feet of yours Fenris, and have some food and sleep. We can talk more tomorrow," suggested Henry. "You both look like you could use a good night's sleep."

Henry handed the bag to Anders, "do you think you know how to clean and bandage his feet without your healing powers, which I assume you've also lost?"

Anders nodded and looked at what was in the bag. "Yes I can make use of this."

Anders motioned for Fenris to stretch out on the couch and he took Fenris' feet onto his lap. He slowly pulled the part of the leggings that came down over the arches of Fenris' feet back to expose the elf's feet. He then took the bottle labeled 'alcohol,' and poured some on the gauze he found.

"This is going to hurt Fenris, especially since I have no elfroot or healing magic, so please try not to kick me," Anders cautioned. Fenris nodded in acknowledgement. As Anders slowly wiped the bottom of Fenris' feet clean, the elf clenched his teeth through the pain.

As Anders was tending to Fenris, Henry went off into another room. Once Anders had cleaned and bandaged Fenris' feet, he fished out a couple more of the medicine that Henry had given Fenris earlier, and handed Fenris his half-finished bottle of water to go with them. Anders tried to read the label on the medicine bottle, but couldn't understand much outside of "pain relief."

Fenris looked at Anders, and sincerely said "Thank you." It was difficult for him to thank the mage, after their long history of hating each other, but he was truly grateful for both his presence and his deft work on bandaging his injured feet.

Anders nodded, "You're welcome, Fenris."

Anders had never hated Fenris, but he had become fed-up with Fenris' constant snide remarks against mages over the years. He knew that Fenris had just cause to hate mages, but his stubborn insistence that _all_ mages needed to be locked up like common criminals wore on his good graces, no matter how handsome the elf was.

Henry came back with some bowls of what looked like soup, with lots of noodles. "Sorry, all I had in the kitchen was some ramen."

Anders and Fenris took the bowls gratefully and greedily ate the salty noodles and broth, having not eaten anything since the merchant they had encountered at the crossroads nearly a day before.

Henry then went off and brought them back some blankets and pillows. "Here you can use these. Sorry one of you has to sleep on the floor."

"That's quite alright. We're quite used to sleeping on the ground," Anders nodded his appreciation. "Fenris, you can have the sofa. You've been worse off than I have since we arrived here."

Fenris looked at Anders oddly, but nodded in acknowledgement.

"G'night guys," Henry said, turning off the lights and heading into another part of the apartment.

Fenris and Anders settled in, removing the more uncomfortable parts of their armor, before curling up and drifting off to sleep for the third time in this strange land.


	4. Any Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Fenris awoke several hours later. It was still dark and at first fear gripped the elf because of his unfamiliar surroundings. Sleep still fogged his mind as he tried to remember where he was. It didn't smell anything like Tevinter or Kirkwall. It didn't smell familiar at all.

Then Fenris heard Anders' soft snoring coming from somewhere nearby and his panic began to ease, as he recalled the events from the day before. While Anders wasn't necessarily a friend, he was familiar. Fenris craved familiar right now and so he slowly crawled onto the floor towards the soft sounds of snoring, dragging his pillow and blanket with him. Trying not to wake Anders, Fenris curled up next to the mage, breathing in his familiar scent, allowing himself to drift back to sleep once again.

Anders awoke as the daylight began to seep into the room he was sleeping in, and slowly he began to realize there was a warm body wrapped around him. Anders tried to remember who he could be cuddling with when he looked down and saw a head of white hair tucked under his chin. _Fenris?_ Why had the elf crawled off the more comfortable couch in order to curl around him?

Anders quickly realized the only reason Fenris might have done so was because he woke in the middle of the night in unfamiliar surroundings, and that Anders was probably the only thing familiar to him. Fenris was drawn to him only because he was the only thing the elf knew in this strange land they found themselves in.

A wave of sympathy came over the former mage, and he couldn't resist giving Fenris' hair a comforting stroke.

Anders knew that Fenris had a rough go of it since they arrived here, being wracked with constant pain, yet another harsh reminder of what Danarius had done to him. While Anders felt crippled without his magic, and he missed Justice's presence, but he knew it couldn't compare to the pain and fear Fenris must be going through.

Anders had been deprived of his magic before, being dosed on magebane almost continuously while in solitary confinement at Kinloch Hold. However, this time it was different. It was one thing to be cut off from your magic, it was quite another for the magic to be completely _gone_. He didn't even know how it was at all possible for him to be cut off from the fade like this and not be tranquil, although he was grateful for it nonetheless.

It was almost as if he was back to being his old self, who he was before his powers had manifested themselves when he was twelve. He could still remember a time he hadn't had access to his magic yet, hadn't felt it or his connection to the fade, had been just a normal boy with normal dreams and goals.

Anders had decided years ago that the boy he had been died the day the Templars dragged him off to the Circle in Ferelden. Now he was confronted with the reality that perhaps that boy still existed, and he would now need to reacquaint himself with who he might have been if his magic had never manifested. Who was he, without his magic?

All the while Anders was lost in thought, he had continued to absentmindedly stroke Fenris' hair. Slowly Fenris began to stir, and before he came full consciousness, he started making contented little noises at the comforting touch. Anders smirked down at the normally cantankerous elf, knowing that Fenris wasn't fully awake yet. In a move Anders would never have dared when Fenris was able to literally rip his heart out of his chest, Anders placed a soft kiss on top of Fenris' head. This elicited another contented hum from the elf.

At first Anders thought he was just having a bit of fun at Fenris' expense, but when his lips connected with Fenris' head, Anders was surprised at his own reaction … letting out a low moan and feeling a clench in his chest.

Anders' moan helped to rouse the elf closer to consciousness, and all of a sudden Fenris was scrabbling back, away from Anders, embarrassment making his face and ears flush several shades of red.

"M … my apologies, I hadn't meant to curl up so closely to you," Fenris stammered.

"It's quite alright Fenris, I rather enjoy waking up with my arms full of handsome elf," Anders teased lightheartedly, a lazy grin on his face.

Fenris blushed even redder at the compliment and headed back to the safety of the couch. Anders couldn't help staring at Fenris, some long suppressed feelings having been stirred by the elf's recent closeness.

" _Mage_ ," Fenris growled in warning.

Anders was snapped out of his contented, sleepy fog by the sound of the old, familiar insult on Fenris' lips. "Don't call me that. Not anymore. Without magic I am no mage. I'm merely a man. A mundane. A useless _cripple_!" Anders rolled over to turn his back to Fenris in indignation.

Fenris sighed. "Fine, Anders. You're right. I can no longer call you something you are not. It will just take some time to get used to you not having your magic anymore."

Anders didn't respond and at first Fenris thought perhaps the … man … had fallen back to sleep, when he noticed Anders' shoulders shaking a bit. Fenris soon realized that Anders was silently weeping.

" _Fasta vass_! Anders, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Fenris said softly. He walked back over to Anders and coaxed the distraught man up, as he sat back down onto the floor. Fenris cradled Anders, not really sure why he was trying to comfort him, just knowing it felt like the right thing to do.

"I'm sorry, Anders," Fenris apologized.

Anders took a deep breath, trying to control his sobbing, "Y … you mean that, Fenris?"

"I do," Fenris said sincerely. "The last few days has been very difficult for both of us. I don't know where we are, or if we will ever be able to get back to Kirkwall. Right now all we really have is each other. It won't do for us to resume our petty squabbles."

Anders laughed at that. In the light of everything that had recently happened to them both, their arguments did appear somewhat petty. "Alright, let's call a truce. At least until we get back to Kirkwall … if we ever get back. Agreed?"

Fenris looked down at the man in his arms. "Agreed."

At that moment, Henry walked in, dressed only in a pair of long, loose fitting breeches. "I thought I heard voices coming from out here," he said rubbing his eyes. As he opened them, Henry's eyes widened, seeing Fenris cradling Anders in his arms.

"Woah, wait a minute, aren't you two supposed to be mortal enemies or something?" Henry asked.

"Back in Kirkwall, we were," Anders nodded, sitting up and disentangling himself from Fenris. "If it weren't for Hawke we may have killed each other long ago, assuming we'd have ever even met."

"And here?" Henry asked

Anders looked at Fenris and blushed a bit, "And here, we really only have each other in terms of anything familiar, which is what's causing us to gravitate towards each other."

"It also doesn't hurt that he's no longer a mage nor an abomination," Fenris said with humor in his voice.

Anders lightly punched Fenris in the shoulder for that.

"Ow!" Fenris said in mock pain.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. Are your markings still causing you pain?" Anders said apologetically.

Fenris smirked. "That hadn't actually hurt, you silly … _man_. The markings are hurting much less today as well."

"Well that's a relief," Henry said. "Let me make us some coffee and then we can figure out where we're all going from here."

Anders all of a sudden got a pained expression and looked at Henry "Do you by any chance have a chamber pot handy?"

Henry looked confused for a moment before realizing what Anders was asking. "We call them toilets. Go down the hall, second door on the right," Henry explained.

Anders made his way as directed. It was dark inside the small room and at first he wasn't sure how he was meant to use this toilet in the dark, until he recalled how Henry had made the living room light up and darken the night before. He felt along the wall near the door until his fingers found what felt like the sort of switch he'd seen Henry use and he played his fingers over it until he figured out how to make it move, flooding the small room with light, momentarily startling Anders. "How is this not magic?"

Then Anders heard someone running down the hall as Henry came up to him quickly before he'd had a chance to examine the room further. "Wait, I'm still not sure if you're not just playing me or not, but just to be clear, that's the toilet, and that's the trash can," Henry pointed at two very different looking objects in the room. "When you're done, push down this handle, please."

Anders' nodded and Henry left, closing the door behind him. Anders looked at what Henry had called a toilet. It was all shiny, white porcelain, in the shape of a bowl with what clearly was a lid sitting open. He pulled down the lid and then lifted it again, realizing there was also another partial lid as well, one that seemed to form a sort of seat over the bowl and that could also be lifted up. Anders quickly surmised the purpose and then remembered his urgency. He made sure to lift both the lid and the seat completely up before untying his breeches and relieving himself into the bowl. When he was finished and all tucked away again, he pushed the handle down as instructed, and was startled at the noise from the toilet, seeing a powerful swirl of water taking away his issue and leaving behind clear, clean water again.

"Maker, more magic. All so practical too. This is truly a wondrous place!" Anders thought to himself, feeling saddened again by the loss of his own magic.

Anders then set upon exploring the rest of the room discovering another bowl that made him think of a wash basin. It had handles that allowed water to flow, one for hot water, one for cold. When turned on at the same time the temperature had a pleasant warmth. He set about scooping some of the water up to splash upon his face before turning them off again.

Anders then checked what was behind what looked like a curtain, hoping to find a window to look outside, but was surprised instead to find what looked like a bath tub. It wasn't as fancy as some of the large Orlesian tubs he'd seen, but he understood the purpose. He then noted that there were more handles and they could be used to easily fill the tub with water. Anders hadn't had a bath in ages. He would have to ask Henry later if he could indulge himself.

Once the room was thoroughly explored Anders headed back towards the living room, where Henry was serving up cups of hot, steaming coffee. At least this was something familiar, albeit a luxury rarely found in Ferelden. Fenris then asked to excuse himself, following the path down the hall that Anders had gone, having had an explanation of the facilities from Henry while Anders had absent.

"This land … it's all so strange. You keep saying there is no magic here, but all I see around me is magic." Anders said, looking at Henry.

Henry smirked at that. "A very wise man once said, ' _Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic_.'"

Anders considered those words for a moment. New technology was rarely invented in Thedas. They had mages and magic, although both were utilized poorly in the Southern lands. In Tevinter, he'd heard, that they used magic to better everyday lives … well, for the magisters anyway. Had the existence of magic in Thedas stopped forward technological progress?

"If all these things that appear magical to me are just technological innovations, can you show me how they work?" Anders asked.

"Yes and no. I know how some things work better than others," Henry explained. "I could tell you exactly how my car works, for example. I could even show you the engine and explain every part in it. Other things, like my smart phone, I could tell you some things about how it worked, but there is a lot there I don't understand myself."

Anders nodded. That was not unlike mages in Thedas, as not all mages had the same level of knowledge or even magical abilities. Each mage had more of an affinity for one particular branch of magic over another and none ever mastered all the branches.

Fenris returned and Henry handed him a fresh cup of coffee.

"So, yesterday you kept talking about games and mentioning something called 'Dragon Age,' and yet you claim there are no dragons here," Fenris said, looking at Henry. "Would you care to explain?"

"Well, it might be better if I showed you," Henry explained. "Come with me."

They followed Henry down the hall into another room. It seemed to be set up as some sort of office or library, with bookshelves lining two walls and a desk along a third. Sitting atop the desk was another strange rectangle, much larger than the one Henry kept in his pocket. Henry bent to touch a black box underneath the desk and all of a sudden the large rectangle flared to life, causing Anders and Fenris to jump a little. They were starting to get used to these occurrences, but it was still unsettling.

Henry then began to move a small object upon the desk, making occasional clicking sounds with it. Soon something began to appear on screen … first the letters "EA," followed by what looked like a dragon made entirely of blood, and then the word "BioWare," before finally settling upon what looked like a woodcut that resembled Orsino and Meredith, facing off with each other with the words "Dragon Age II" between them.

"What? What is that?" Anders asked.

"This is the game, Dragon Age 2, I was talking about. This is how I know about you both," Henry explained, before clicking again several times before stopping and Fenris and Anders breath caught in their throats. "Hawke! That's Hawke! Why are there three of them? And who is that female?"

"There's only one Hawke, but in the game you get to choose who your Hawke is. Hawke can either be male or female, and Hawke can either be a mage, rogue or warrior. Depending on what the player chooses, it also determines whether or not Bethany or Carver dies at the hands of the Ogre during the Darkspawn attack on Lothering," Henry explained, "Your Hawke, I assume was male? Was he a mage, rogue or warrior?"

"Rogue," Fenris supplied. "So Hawke could have been a woman?!"

Henry nodded and then selected the male rogue Hawke and a scene began to unfold. Anders and Fenris cried simultaneously "Varric!"

Then Anders spat in anger "a Seeker! What do the Seekers want with Varric?!"

"Woah, calm down Anders. I told you, it's just a game, none of this is real," Henry explained again.

"Well it's real to us! You can't expect me to believe that everything I've been through in my life didn't really happen!" Anders said angrily. "I have the scars to prove they did happen, as does Fenris."

"Indeed. This may all just be a game to you, but that's our lives you're talking about," Fenris added.

Henry switched off the rectangle and sat in quiet contemplation for a moment. "Well, clearly you both believe you're really from Thedas and I have no way to prove you aren't," Henry sighed. "Alright, let's say for the moment I believe you. How is it even possible for you to be here? When we play the game in our world, are we actually manipulating your world? Creating alternate realities? I don't understand any of this …"

"All we know is that we got here through Merrill's Eluvian, and somehow it reacted to the Fade energies in our bodies. Clearly when we crossed the threshold from our … _reality_ … into yours, all of Fade energies and abilities were stripped from us, because it seems the Fade doesn't exist here," Anders said.

"Well, with no Eluvian in our world, or any magic or connection to your Fade, I don't know if there is any way to ever send you back," Henry said apologetically.

"I feared as much," Fenris said, nodding solemnly.

"Well, I think you both need to blend into our world a bit better. I need to get you both some different clothes to start with, and some shoes," Henry said pointedly, looking at Fenris' bandaged feet.

"Hmm, yes. I never liked the idea of wearing footwear, but I see now why they can be useful," Fenris nodded.

"Do either of you have any money?" Henry asked.

Fenris and Anders pulled out the silver coins they carried, giving them to Henry. "The merchant we came across the other day refused to take these as payment. Do they have any value here?"

Henry looked at the coins. "Are they pure silver?"

Anders nodded, and then pulled an earring from one of his pockets. "This is also pure gold, if that has any value?"

"Yes, gold is very valuable right now," Henry nodded. "OK, here's the plan. I am off work today, so I will go out and exchange your silver and gold for our local currency. Then I'll go buy some less conspicuous clothing for you both."

"What shall we do?" Anders asked.

"For now? Stay here. You can watch some television, it might help you become a bit more acquainted with our world." Henry suggested, taking them back out to the living room and handing Anders a device with what looked like buttons on it. "Push this button to turn it on and off, these buttons control how loud it is, and this button lets you change what you're watching. I'll explain it all later, just keep in mind that a lot of what you will see is either technology, or it's fake, so don't believe everything you see, OK?"

Henry then headed back down the hall, presumably to change from his sleeping breeches into his clothing.

Anders sat on the sofa and just stared at the ground for a while, trying to process everything. Fenris sat next to him, similarly lost in thought.

"Anders," Fenris began.

"That's not my name," Anders said softly.

"What?" Fenris asked.

"Anders. It's not my real name, you know?" Anders said. "It's just what they called me at the Circle because I came from the Anderfels. I refused to tell them my real name. In my mind, who I had been before the Templars dragged me off had died, so I never wanted to use that name again."

Fenris felt a twinge of sympathy for Anders in that moment. He reached out and grabbed Anders' chin and forced him to look at Fenris. "So, what should I call you, if not for _mage_ or _Anders_?"

"Andreas. My real name is Andreas Bauermann," Anders said, tears welling in his eyes at the memory of his name, hearing in his mind the voice of his mother when she would call out his name when it was time for supper.

"Well at least you still know your real name," Fenris said, a little more bitterly than he had intended. "I do not know what my mother named me when I was born. I only know Danarius named me Fenris, because I was his … 'little wolf.'" Fenris shuddered at the memory.

"Leto."

Fenris snapped his head up at the sound of Henry's voice, standing up to face the man. "What did you say?"

"Leto. That's your real name Fenris. Everyone who has played through Dragon Age 2 knows that," Henry said. "That means you got pulled through the Eluvian before Danarius finally caught up with you in Kirkwall, or you would know it too."

"Leto … that does feel … familiar," Fenris said.

"Well, we can talk more about that when I get back," Henry said, grabbing his keys and heading for the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

After Henry left, Anders looked up at Fenris. "So, what do you think? It seems you and I are stuck here, and without any of our special abilities. You and I will need to find a way to build a new life for ourselves."

"Yes, I suppose we will. We cannot impose upon Henry's good graces indefinitely," Fenris nodded.

Anders smiled at that. " _We_? I like the sound of that. Do you think you can tolerate me enough, that we can stick together? I don't relish the idea of facing this world completely alone."

" _We'll_ see," Fenris smirked.

"Well, in the meantime, let's see what this television can show us about this world. Come sit with me?" Anders asked.

Fenris came back to the sofa and curled up next to Anders. The former mage pushed the button Henry showed him and the television flared to life and this time Anders and Fenris were not startled by it. They fiddled with the loudness and the channels until they settled upon one with the letters 'CNN' in one corner. It looked as if they were reporting on happenings going on in the world, and it reminded them a little bit of the town criers they'd heard of from far-off Orzammar.

When Henry returned sometime later, he found both had drifted to off to sleep with the TV still on. Anders was sitting up, his head flopped at an odd angle on the back of the couch, with Fenris' head resting in his lap. Henry smiled at that and moved quietly passed them into his office, deciding not to wake them yet.


	5. Shifting Identities and Feelings

Anders began to waken at the smell of something delicious wafting from the kitchen. He blinked and realized he had a horrible crick in his neck from the awkward position he'd fallen asleep in. Instinctually he raised his hands to heal away the ache … when he remembered he couldn't do that anymore.

"Ow," he muttered softly, trying to stretch away the ache instead.

Fenris stirred, rolling over to look up before realizing he had fallen asleep with his head in Anders' lap. Why did he crave his closeness so much? Just because Anders … _Andreas?_ … was no longer a mage, didn't mean he had any cause to throw himself at the man.

Fenris quickly sat up, mumbling another apology.

"No, it's OK, Fenris," Anders said, as he tried to rub the soreness from his neck.

"Let me help with that," Fenris offered, indicating that Anders should turn around.

Anders did as he was bade and Fenris began to massage his neck and shoulders. "Oh, yeah … that feels wonderful," Anders said, leaning into the touch. "Where did you learn …? Oh, wait … never mind."

Anders quickly realized where Fenris may have learned _this_ particular skill. Fenris' hands stilled at the words.

Anders turned around and faced Fenris. "I'm sorry, Fenris. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. Thank you for trying to help."

Fenris nodded at the apology, and then looked up at Anders. "Anders, I have been thinking about it and … I think I would like it if you called me Leto instead."

Anders smiled at that. "OK, I'll call you Leto, if you start calling me Andreas, please?"

Leto nodded. "Agreed, Andreas."

Henry walked in at that moment, having heard most of the exchange from the kitchen. "Now that that's settled, you need a last name Leto."

"I never needed one before," Leto said, puzzled.

"That's because you lived in Thedas. Here everyone needs a first and last name, it's actually required, unless you're a celebrity. Even then they still need one for legal documents," Henry explained.

"How do I even choose such a thing? Slaves in Tevinter have no family names. If anything they take on the name of the house they belong to … and I have no desire to take on the name of Danarius' house," Fenris said with a shudder.

"How about … Freeman? Leto Freeman," Andreas offered.

Henry smiled. "That actually has a nice ring to it, what do you think Leto?"

Leto smiled broadly in the first time in … he couldn't even remember. "Yes, I like that. Leto Freeman." Leto repeated it to himself several times, trying to get used to the feel of the name on his tongue.

"Alright, now that's been decided, come into the kitchen for dinner. I just finished baking a lasagna. It's one of my specialties," Henry said, grinning.

Andreas and Leto followed Henry, seating themselves at the small table. Henry brought over a large metal pan, covered with a thin sheet of metal that folded back easily. Within they saw bubbling cheese and more of the delicious smell wafted out.

"That smells really good!" Andreas said. Without Justice to distract him, he was beginning to realize how much he'd missed enjoying food.

Henry cut and served a square of the lasagna to each of them, and then poured some red wine for each as well. "Sorry Fen .. Leto, we don't have Aggregio Pavali, but I hope you like Merlot."

Leto smiled at the mention of his favorite wine, beginning to realize exactly how much of his life Henry knew from just playing a game. He lifted the glass, giving it a sniff before lifting it to his mouth, letting some of the red liquid pass over his lips and tongue. The flavor was rich and fruity, causing him to moan slightly at the pleasure the taste caused.

"Alright, I take that as a yes," Henry laughed as Leto blushed at his reaction.

Andreas began to dig into his meal and let out a similar moan of satisfaction a moment later. "This is possibly the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. We have nothing like this in Thedas!"

Henry seemed pleased that they were enjoying his cooking, as they ate in silence, enjoying the food and wine.

Andreas broke the finally broke the silence. "So Henry, what do you do exactly? You said you were off work today?"

"Well today is Sunday. Many people only work weekdays here," Henry explained.

"Weekdays?" Leto asked.

"Oh, right, you guys probably don't have that in Thedas," Henry acknowledged. "So, here we have seven days in a week. We call them Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Monday through Friday are referred to as 'weekdays' because that's when most people work, and Saturday and Sunday are referred to as the 'weekend' because many people have those day off … except for those who work in retail or restaurants, but that's a whole different discussion."

Leto and Andreas nodded, taking in the information.

"Anyway, so I'm a software developer, which probably doesn't mean anything to either of you," Henry responded to Andreas' original question. "For now, suffice it to say that some of what I do can create things like the 'Dragon Age' game I showed you earlier today."

"You … can create things like that?" Anders asked.

"Well yes, if I wanted to. I don't work in game development though. The software I make has different applications, all of which might be a bit too complicated to explain right now," Henry nodded. "Suffice it to say, it pays well and I enjoy doing it."

"That brings me to another thing I wanted to talk to you both about. As much as I enjoy helping you guys out, you can't stay here indefinitely. We'll need to figure out how to get you both a job, and a place to live," Henry explained.

Andreas and Leto both nodded.

"What kind of jobs can we possibly do though? I am not much of a healer without my magic," Andreas said sadly, "and Leto isn't as much of a living weapon as he once was either."

"Well, I've been thinking about that. I know something that might be a good fit for you Andreas. It won't pay much, but might match your skillsets and passions," Henry said. "There's a local non-profit a few blocks from here that I volunteer for on occasion. They often hire people for a small salary to do things, like hand out food to the homeless. Somehow that feels like it suit you well Andreas."

"Homeless?" Andreas asked.

"Yeah, the people here who have no money to afford a place to stay, they live either in shelters or on the streets," Henry explained. "It's up to those of us who can afford it to help them."

Andreas nodded. That felt very much like something that Justice would have made him jump all over, and he had to admit even without Justice it had a certain … appeal.

"I'll give you the address and directions tomorrow and you both can walk over there and talk to the director. I'll give her a call first thing and let her know to expect you," Henry offered. "Now I should show you both the stuff I got for you guys."

They followed Henry back out to the living room to a stack of bags that lay on the floor near the entryway of the apartment. "Here, these bags are for you Andreas, and these are for Leto."

They all sat cross-legged on the living room floor taking items out of the bags. Henry reached over and handed them a folded stack of what looked like colored paper. "Oh and here, this is the remainder of the cash … um, money … that's left over. Your gold earring was worth the most Andreas, and that should last you both a little while until you get on your feet."

"This is money? Don't you use coins?" Fenris asked curiously.

"Yeah we have coins for anything worth less than one dollar. Everything else comes like that, or on something called a credit card, which neither of you would qualify for … at least not yet." Henry explained.

"Anyway, I got both of you a pair of jeans, several shirts, some underwear, socks and shoes. I had to guess at your sizes so if anything doesn't fit, let me know and we'll go exchange them," Henry said, as he pointed out the different items. "I also got you both some other essentials. There are toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant. We're very conscious about hygiene in this world."

"Thank you. I don't think I've ever owned so many items of clothing before," Leto said, running his hands along the soft fabric of the shirts. It would be strange to not wear his armor.

"Oh, and before I forget, I also got you both a back pack too, so you have something to carry your stuff in," Henry said, as he got up and grabbed them.

"Thanks," Andreas said gratefully. "I was meaning to ask you since this morning, would you mind if I took a bath? I haven't had one in a long time."

Henry laughed at that "Yeah, I can tell!" he said laughing and wrinkling his nose.

Andreas blushed in embarrassment.

"Sorry," Henry apologized. "You could take a bath or a shower."

"Shower?" Andreas asked, curiously.

"Yeah … instead of sitting in the hot water, you let it rain down from above you. It's quite nice and it's faster than taking a bath," Henry explained. "Here, let me show you both how the shower works."

Henry led them back into the bathroom and pulled back the curtain. He turned on the water for the tub and showed how to block the drain for a bath, and how to turn on the shower instead as well. He pointed out the bottles of shampoo and body wash and then went off to get them some fresh wash cloths and towels.

"Here you go, so you can take turns if you're quick, or you'll have to share if you want a longer shower. The hot water runs out quick in this building, unfortunately," Henry apologized.

Anders and Fenris had bathed in streams together before, along with Hawke and the rest of their ragtag team of companions, so the idea of sharing wasn't off putting, although still the idea actually made Andreas a little nervous.

"Well, up to you Leto. I can be quick if you prefer to shower privately," Andreas offered.

"I have seen your naked form dozens of times, it would be no hardship to share in order to have more time," Leto shrugged.

Henry coughed and blushed at the admission and backed out of the bathroom. "Alright well, I'll let you both get to it then. Enjoy! I'll see you both tomorrow." Henry then closed the door as he left the two alone.

The bathroom wasn't very large so they had to stand relatively close in order to remove their old armor and robes. Both had practiced fingers and soon both stood naked. Andreas turned to turn on the shower as Henry had shown them, trying to hide a blush. Back in Kirkwall it was easy enough to hide his attraction to Fenris … Leto. They argued constantly and when they had to bathe together out along the Wounded Coast, he could stay far enough away that any arousal he might get at seeing Leto naked could easily be hidden.

In such close quarters, Andreas felt trapped but didn't want to argue with Leto about taking separate showers either. He didn't want to seem too obvious that he was nervous about sharing the close quarters with the very attractive elf.

"Well go on, get in already," Leto huffed impatiently.

Andreas nodded and stepped into the bathtub and backed up behind the curtain, giving Leto space to get in after him. The feeling of warm water hitting him felt really nice. It was like being out in a rain storm naked, and the rain came down warm and soft instead of cold and stinging. Andreas allowed himself to close his eyes and enjoy the feel of the water against his skin.

Then Andreas was suddenly aware of Leto's closeness, smelling the musky scent of the elf near him. Andreas eyes shot open, as Leto came closer to him, before he realized that Leto was trying to get to the body wash.

Andreas shifted so Leto could reach the bottle, getting a little off-balance and his hand touched Leto's shoulder in order to steady himself. Leto looked up at Andreas then, blushing at the contact. "Could … could you help wash my back, please?" Leto asked. "I'll return the favor."

"Um … sure. Hand me a wash cloth," Andreas said nervously. He poured a generous amount of the thick, white liquid onto the cloth, and then wetted it in the warm water, while Leto turned his back to him. He then began to slowly rub the cloth onto Leto's back gently, not wanting to aggravate the blackened brands on his back more than necessary.

Leto tried to bite back a small moan that caught in his throat at the gentle contact. Andreas was being overly gentle and … it felt good. He hadn't really thought about it much before but he had begun to realize that Andreas was very attractive … for a human. Always a little bit on the too-skinny side, yet he still had decent muscle tone from all the fancy staff twirling he did.

Until they arrived here in this strange world, he couldn't see past what Andreas had been … a mage and an abomination. Nothing but a monster, in his mind. Because of that he saw Andreas … Anders … as a twisted, ugly _thing_.

However, now that Andreas was just an ordinary man, and one who had been nothing but kind and caring to him during their entire ordeal so far, Leto began to see how attractive the man really was. Feeling Andreas hand behind the wash cloth, trying to be so gentle with him, it made Leto's heart clench.

Had Anders always been so gentle and caring, despite being a mage and harboring a demon? Beneath all his anger at him over the years, Leto could remember the gentle touches when he was being healed after a battle, the look of concern in Anders eyes when he was helping people in his clinic.

Leto still hated Anders, the mage, but a part of him was starting to like Andreas, the man.

Andreas startled Leto out of his thoughts when he dropped the wash cloth and began massaging his back gently through the slippery soap on his back. "You're very tense, Leto," Andreas whispered in his ear and Leto's heart began to race and he let out another moan as Andreas began to work out a knot on his back.

Leto then turned around to look at Andreas. "Why are you being so kind to me? I have given you nothing but grief since we first met."

Andreas blushed. "Well … I can't help it. I … I've always found you attractive, despite all the hateful things you always said to me. Now here we are, without any of those stupid things we used to argue about and … you're still really attractive."

Leto blushed, looking down. "I see."

Andreas lifted his chin, forcing him to look back up at the man. "Am I making you uncomfortable? If I am, I'll stop. I promise."

"No … not uncomfortable," Leto responded shyly. "I … I just don't know what I feel, really."

Andreas was looking at him with lust blown eyes, visibly trying to keep himself from touching Leto more. "May I … kiss you?" he asked politely.

Leto's chest clenched again and he nodded, almost imperceptibly. Andreas' leaned down, his mouth slanted over Leto's gently, barely touching. Leto felt gentle hands on his hips, drawing him closer as lips parted, and the tip of a warm, wet tongue brushed across his lower lip. Leto parted his lips, allowing the tongue entrance, as the kiss slowly deepened, and Andreas' hand moved up to cup Fenris by the back of his head, pulling him deeper into the kiss.

Andreas couldn't believe that Leto was letting him kiss him. His heart pounded so loudly within his chest as he leaned down to cover the elf's mouth with his own.

It felt like all the years of hatred and animosity were being washed away in this shower, and they were being reborn. They may be stuck in this strange world forever, far away from the friends they knew, but right now Andreas could not have felt happier.

No longer did he have to fear being hunted by Templars, no longer did he have to fear what Justice may one day do. He could once again just be himself and that self very much wanted Leto in every way possible … but he also didn't want to rush this.

Andreas slowly broke off the kiss, looking tenderly into Leto's eyes. "Come on let's finish showering before the water turns cold. Could you wash my back next, please?"

Leto seemed to be in a haze for a moment before blushing and nodding, bending down to pick up the discarded wash cloth. They finished the shower in silence, washing each other's bodies and hair, and then helping each other dry off with white fluffy towels.

Then they wrapped themselves up in the towels and went back to the living room to dress and prepare for sleep. They both opted to wear a simple t-shirt and a pair of small clothes … 'underwear' as Henry called them.

Without hesitation, Leto grabbed the pillows and blankets and arranged them on the floor. Andreas was clearly not going to push this … whatever _this_ was … too fast, and Leto was grateful, despite being more than interested in going further.

Tomorrow they could talk about it, after looking into getting jobs at the non-profit organization Henry had mentioned. For now they would sleep, Leto curled up next to Andreas much as he had done the night before, enjoying the solid warmth of the man next to him.


	6. City Adventure

The next morning Andreas woke up once again tangled in elf. He sighed contentedly, enjoying the warmth of the body curled up next to him. Leto had his arm flung around him, and his head tucked under his chin.

Andreas breathed in the clean scent of a freshly showered elf, and couldn't resist kissing the top of his head as he had the morning before. Leto stirred, making contented noises. As Leto opened his eyes and looked up at Andreas he didn't back away as he had the day before.

Andreas looked down into those wells of emerald green, his heart once again clenching at the thought that Leto might actually not hate him anymore. Not wanting to break the spell, Andreas caressed Leto's cheek, slowly moving his hand to the back of the elf's head, and bending his head down to kiss him.

Leto leaned into the touch almost reverently, tilting his head up, accepting the kiss being offered. The kiss was soft, slow, lazy and … perfect.

"Ahem," Henry coughed, interrupting his two strange house guests. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have to go into work today and there are several things I need to go over with you both before I get ready."

Leto slowly woke to the feel of lips pressing on the top of his head. He was surrounded by the warmth of another body and it just felt good to not wake alone. He looked up into the warm amber eyes that were looking down at him.

Leto still didn't understand why he now felt so drawn to Andreas. For years he had hated the man … the mage … and yet just a few short days in this strange world and he found himself literally clinging to him. Being near Andreas was almost … intoxicating.

As Andreas pulled him closer, Leto sighed into the slow, lazy kiss, heart pounding in his chest, butterflies dancing in his belly.

Leto startled and blushed when he heard Henry announce himself.

Henry proceeded to show them a few things before getting ready for work himself. He taught them the importance of brushing their teeth and using deodorant, explained how traffic worked with the strange carriages … cars, and how to avoid being hit by one. Henry also drew a crude map so that Andreas and Leto would be able to find the office of the non-profit they were meant to visit that day.

"I've already called the director there. Her name is Miranda Amell, and no she's not related to the Amells in Thedas. In fact, she wouldn't even know what Thedas was, so be careful and don't bring that up, or she'll just think you're both insane," Henry explained.

"What should we tell her then? I'm sure she'll ask about our backgrounds, right?" Andreas asked sincerely.

"Good point. Well Andreas, you could say you used to practice 'alternative medicine,' but don't go into details. If she presses you can mention something about herbal remedies, which isn't too far from the truth. Let her know you like helping the poor and downtrodden, she'll like that." Henry suggested. "As for you Leto … well former slave turned warrior isn't going to fly here either. You could tell her you have worked as a body guard and a bouncer. With your markings and ears, you look like someone familiar with the club scene."

Andreas and Leto nodded.

"Don't wander too far off this map, I don't want you two getting lost. I'll give you both a tour of the surrounding neighborhood this evening when I get off work," Henry continued. "Oh and here take my spare set of keys so you can get back into the apartment. There's lasagna leftovers in the refrigerator and you've seen how to operate the microwave to heat things. Use about 2 minutes for each slice. Oh and do not put anything metal in the microwave. It'll cause sparks in a bad way."

"Alright, I think we got it, thanks Henry. We're both really grateful you've been so patient with us. I can't imagine how we'd have survived here without all your help," Andreas said sincerely.

"Indeed, thank you Henry," Leto agreed.

"You're welcome … I'm still not sure what to make of you two, but I just had to help. Alright I better get ready or I'll be late for work. I called Miranda earlier so she knows to expect you," Henry said, heading back towards his bedroom. "I should be home sometime between 6 and 7 pm tonight."

Andreas and Leto got dressed, having already brushed their teeth and put on their deodorant. They changed their t-shirts and small clothes as Henry had recommended, and then put on their jeans, socks and shoes. Everything seemed to fit comfortably, although they both felt vulnerable without their armor or weapons.

For Leto it felt odd wearing shoes, but he would just have to get used to the odd sensation.

"Shall we?" Andreas gestured towards the door and picking up the spare set of keys Henry had given them. They also brought with them some of the money Henry had given them yesterday. Henry had recommended they don't carry all of it around with them, as thieves and pickpockets existed in our world as much as they had in Thedas.

Andreas and Leto made their way out of the building and looked around. When they had arrived two nights before it had been dark out and they hadn't been able to see the street clearly. They found themselves by a small roadway lined by large trees. Henry had explained about 'sidewalks,' which were paved paths for people to walk which kept them safe from the cars on the roadway.

As instructed they turned left, heading west, from the apartment building they just emerged from and walked to the corner where two roadways met. According to their map they had to cross the one roadway that headed north and south, as they had to continue west. They carefully looked both ways to make sure no cars were coming and then ran quickly across the roadway.

"That … that was terrifying," Andreas said, breathing heavily. "How do people survive living here?"

Leto was less rattled, being more familiar with large cities, although he had no experience with anything like cars. Minrathous had plenty of roadways such as these, filled with carriages and litters that he'd have to dodge whenever he went out to run an errand for Danarius.

"I think, people just get used to it," Leto suggested. "Come, let us make our way to the next crossroads on the map."

The day was pleasantly warm and sunny and with the exception of the terrifying roadway crossings, they were enjoying their walk in this strange city. The homes and apartments they saw as they passed had a strange architecture, but looked well kept.

As they kept going west, the roadways began getting larger, which made Andreas even more nervous. Leto took to holding Andreas' hand every time they crossed a roadway, to help calm the man. After zig zagging west and south, they finally stood in front of the 'office building' that Henry had described.

"I think this is the place," Andreas said, comparing the words on the building to what Henry had written on his napkin.

They wandered around the large red brick and glass building until they found the correct entrance and headed inside.

Henry had explained that there were things called elevators that would take them to the fourth floor of the building, where the non-profit offices were kept. They found the elevators and pushed the up arrow as Henry had explained. Andreas was once again nervous, and Leto took his hand again.

"I'm sorry for being such a bother, Leto," Andreas said apologetically. "I just feel so vulnerable without my magic."

"Perhaps it would help if I taught you some hand-to-hand combat? I was taught several forms of fighting in the service as body guard to Danarius, and not all required weapons," Leto suggested.

At that moment a loud 'bing' sounded and the elevator doors slid open, as if by magic. They both stepped inside nervously and clicked on the button marked 4. Andreas squeezed Leto's hand tight as the elevator began to move and Andreas and Leto felt their stomachs drop to the floor.

Andreas began to chant. "It's just technology. It's just technology. It's just technology."

The elevator then slowed to a stop, and their stomachs came crashing back into place as the doors slid open. They exited and looked around, finally spotting the name of the non-profit on a set of glass doors. They made their way inside and were greeted by a young woman wearing some strange ornamentation on her head. It covered one hear and had a piece that flared out and was positioned in front of her mouth.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" she asked cheerfully.

"We're here to see Miranda Amell. My name is Andreas Bauermann and this is Leto Freeman," Andreas explained.

"Oh yes, she's expecting you. One moment," the young woman said, before unfocusing her eyes and speaking again "Ms. Amell? The gentlemen you were expecting have arrived."

Andreas and Leto looked at each other and back at the young woman, who returned her focus onto them. "She'll be right out, if you both would have a seat?" The young woman gestured to the row of chairs on the one side of the entranceway. "May I get either of you a bottle of water?"

"Yes, please, water would be lovely," Andreas nodded.

The young woman hurried off for a moment and quickly returned with two very cold bottles of water. They both drank the water down greedily.

A few moments later another woman came out and greeted them. "Hello, my name is Miranda. You must be Andreas and Leto?"

The two nodded.

"Well, follow me boys, and let's discuss how we can help each other," Miranda said cheerfully.

They followed Miranda, being ushered into an office with a large desk. Miranda took a seat into the large black leather chair on the one side of the desk, and Andreas and Leto took the two seats on the other side.

"Henry tells me you are both new in town, and that you need work, preferably cash only," she said, frowning. "I assume you both are in some kind of trouble, but Henry wouldn't elaborate."

Andreas contemplated for a moment before responding. "We, uh, ended up here unexpectedly and we have no means to get back to where we came from," Andreas explained.

"I see. So I take it you have no forms of I.D.?" Miranda asked.

Anders blushed, recalling being asked for I.D. just a few days earlier. "No, Messere Amell, we do not."

Miranda narrowed her eyes at the word "messere," but opted to say nothing. "Just call me Miranda, please."

Andreas and Leto nodded.

"So can you tell me what skills you have?" Miranda asked.

Leto spoke first. "I have experience as a trained fighter. I have worked as a body guard and as a bouncer before."

Miranda nodded approvingly. "You look like someone who would have had experience like that, although you seem awfully thin and wiry for a bouncer. We can always use more security, especially when we're out in the poorer neighborhoods. Can you handle street thugs?"

Leto laughed. "Yes, I have a lot of experience handing street thugs. I'm stronger than I look."

"Good!" Miranda said cheerfully. "What about you Andreas?"

Andreas looked pensive. "I, uh, well I practiced alternative medicine. Herbal remedies and such."

Miranda looked at him thoughtfully. "I'm guessing you never attended medical school, am I right?"

"No, I didn't," Andreas said truthfully.

"Hmm, well many of the people we try to help cannot afford to see doctors. Maybe some of your herbal remedies could help them," Miranda said thoughtfully. "Do either of you know how to cook by any chance?"

Andreas and Leto nodded. "We've had to cook soups and stews when we camped with our friends," Andreas offered.

"Perfect! We've needed some helping hands at our soup kitchen as well," Miranda said. "Alright, based on Henry's glowing recommendation, you're both hired. I can't pay either of you much, but it should help you both get on your feet."

"Thank you, Miranda. Thank you very much," Andreas said gratefully.

"Alright so you both can start tomorrow. I'll get all the details for you before you leave. I'll also help you both get I.D.s and Henry said you both will need a place to stay. I'll look into if we can find you both a small apartment, perhaps closer to where you'll both be working," Miranda offered helpfully.

Andreas and Leto spent the next hour with Miranda as they discussed what their duties were to be. Miranda then told them she had to take their 'photo,' and they provided what information they could for the I.D.s she was going to provide them.

As Miranda spoke with them, she also busied herself on some strange device in front of her. "Ah yes, I found a place," she declared, interrupting what she had been saying. "It's small, only a studio, but you should be able to afford it when what I am able to pay you both."

"A studio?" asked Leto

"A studio apartment. That means it has no separate bedroom and living room. It's all one single room, with a small kitchen and bathroom, so I hope you two don't mind being a little cozy. Good news is that it's also already furnished," Miranda explained. "It's available for move-in this weekend, so I hope Henry doesn't mind you both bunking with him the rest of this week. I'll take care of the details for you both."

"That's wonderful, thanks again Miranda. You and Henry are definitely our saviors," Andreas said.

"Well I think that's everything for today. I'll see you both out. I'll tell Michael to expect you both tomorrow by 8am, alright?" Miranda said as she walked them back to the entrance of the office.

"We'll make sure to be there on time," Andreas said, shaking Miranda's hand. Leto followed suit.

Andreas and Leto made their way back to Henry's apartment, taking their time and enjoying the sunny, warm weather. This time around crossing the roadways wasn't quite as scary as they had been, although he still enjoyed holding Leto's hand every time they had to cross one.

When they got back to the apartment, they were both hungry and so Andreas and Leto decided to try their hand at warming up some of the lasagna from the night before. Henry had made the microwave seem so simple, but they were both intimidated by the technology and ultimately gave up, opting to just eat the lasagna cold. It seemed it was just as delicious cold as it was hot, and after the warm walk home, the cold food was not unwelcome.

It was now early afternoon and Henry wouldn't be back for several more hours. Andreas went into the living room and sat on the sofa, indicating Leto should join him.

"Now that we have some time to ourselves … maybe we should talk?" Andreas suggested.

Leto nodded.

"So, last night in the shower, and then this morning. I was very happy that you let me kiss you, but I'm confused as to why," Andreas began.

Leto blushed and looked down at his hands, fidgeting. "I … am confused as well. A few days ago I hated you with every fiber of my being. Yet, since we arrived here, I find your presence … comforting."

"Do you think it might be an effect of having gone through the Eluvian together? Or is it just that I'm the only thing from Thedas and it's just my familiarity?" Andreas asked.

Leto contemplated the questions for a moment. "I honestly don't know. All I remember from the transition through the Eluvian was pain. Perhaps it is your familiarity and kindness that is drawing me to you."

"If I had known being kind to you would make you like me, I would have done so years ago," Andreas joked.

"Yes, but it wouldn't have worked then. I feared and loathed what you were back in Kirkwall. I never took the time to see the man underneath," Leto confessed.

"And now that you're starting to get to know the man?" Andreas asked.

"I find that I really do like who you are, Andreas. Perhaps more than I care to admit." Leto said with a blush.

Andreas scooted closer to Leto, pulling the elf into a warm embrace. "I like you a lot too Leto. Even more now that you're not constantly threatening to kill me."

Leto chuckled at the memory, looking up into Andreas' eyes. "I never meant you any real harm Andreas. Yes, I hated you for what you were, but I would never have gone that far."

"I'm glad," Andreas said softly, bringing up a hand to caress Leto's cheek.

The butterflies returned to Leto's stomach as Andreas leaned in to kiss him again. Andreas wrapped his arms around Leto and pulled him up onto his lap, causing the elf to have to straddle him. He then pulled Leto in closer, capturing the elf's mouth again, keeping the kiss soft, sweet and lazy as it had been that morning.

Leto wound his hands around Andreas' neck, running his fingers through his long, blonde hair. He slowly parted his lips, darting his tongue out to lick Andreas' bottom lip, inviting him to deepen the kiss. Andreas groaned and slowly slipped his tongue into the elf's mouth, tasting, exploring. Andreas slid his hands under the hem of Leto's t-shirt caressing the elf's back gently.

Leto arched his back at the warm touch of hands on his back, grinding his crotch against Anders. Both were now noticeably turned on, as Leto slowly started grinding his erection against Andreas', causing them to both moan loudly.

Andreas then pulled his hands away from Leto's back, and pushed the elf back a bit. "Leto, I want this … I want you … so much right now. But I think we should wait. It's only been a few days now, let's wait at least until we're in our own place this weekend, OK? I want to make sure this is what we both really want."

Leto stared down unbelieving at Andreas. He didn't want to take advantage of the fact that Leto clearly hungered for him? Andreas' continued consideration and kindness was making Leto's heart clench in a very pleasant way.

Slowly Leto nodded, giving Andreas a chaste peck on the lips, before moving off of his lap. "I suppose you're right. It's wise to give … whatever this is … time to grow."

"So, should we watch more television until Henry gets back?" Andreas suggested, picking up the 'remote control.'

"Yes, there is still so much we need to learn about this strange world." Leto agreed.

So they both settled in together on the sofa, with Andreas draping an arm around Leto's back, and they spent the rest of the afternoon just watching all the strangeness of their new world through this device called a television.


	7. Jose Cuervo, You are a Friend of Mine

When Henry got home, the pair were still lounging on the sofa watching television.

"Hey it looks like you both survived. How'd you like what you saw of Denver today?" Henry asked as he came into the living room.

"We've never seen a city quite like this," Leto replied. "It's larger and even more magnificent than Minrathous, and so much cleaner and brighter as well."

"Well what do you both say about going out for dinner? You can catch me up on what you and Miranda decided, and I can show you a little bit more of the area. There are a couple of great places we can easily walk to from here," Henry suggested.

"That sounds like fun," Andreas agreed.

"Alright, let's go then," Henry said, putting down the bag he'd been carrying and ushering them both out of the apartment.

"I take it you found the place ok?" Henry asked as they began walking down the now familiar sidewalk.

"Yeah, the map you drew was a great help," Andreas replied. "Also your advice on how to cross the roadways … streets … helped a lot."

As they continued to walk, without even really thinking about it, Leto reached out and took Andreas' hand into his own as they neared a street crossing. Andreas smiled at Leto and squeezed his hand, sending slight shivers up Leto's spine, causing him to blush.

Once they'd crossed the street, Leto was about to let go of Andreas' hand, when he felt the grip tighten, and then Andreas turned his hand slightly, entangling his fingers between Leto's. When Leto looked at him, it was Andreas' turn to blush, as they continued following Henry.

Henry shook his head when he saw the two holding hands. "What is going on with you two? In the game you both hate each other so much. How am I supposed to believe you're really from Thedas when you act so … different?"

"We're not exactly sure, but it seems coming here, and losing everything that had made us who we were back in Kirkwall, has forced us to get to know each other again," Andreas explained. "It turns out that beneath that lyrium-branded, former-slave, mage-hater lies a very sweet, sensitive elf."

Leto blushed at the compliment. "And beneath the mage and abomination lies a kind, caring man," Leto added, squeezing Andreas' hand.

"We were so busy hating each other for what we were, we never bothered to get to know who we were," Andreas continued, "until now."

"Interesting," Henry replied. "You know, you're right. From all the party banter you had in the game you both kept sniping at each other for what you were, not who you were. Maybe all those fan fiction writers out there got it right after all."

"Fan fiction writers?" Andreas asked.

"There are lots of people who play Dragon Age, who go on to write stories about the game, including about you two," Henry began to explain. "There are many fan fiction writers who swear that you two would become a romantic couple, if only you could see past your hate for each other. Like I said, I guess they were right."

"Who do we usually end up with in that game then?" Andreas asked out of curiosity.

"Well that's complicated. As you saw, Hawke is the character the player gets to be, and so Hawke gets a choice of romancing either of you. Isabella or Merrill are also romance options," Henry replied.

Andreas and Leto both said simultaneously "Merrill?!"

Henry snickered at that. "Yeah, she's an option, so it's up to the player as to who they like better."

"So what happens if the player chooses one of us? What happens to the other?" Leto asks, curiously.

"Again, it's complicated. If the player chooses Anders in the game, Anders moves into the estate with Hawke and they are deeply in love, while Fenris goes off to bed Isabela," Henry continues to explain. "If the player chooses Fenris, that's where things can get … tricky."

Leto cocks his head and says "oh?"

"Well, after the first night of sex with Hawke, Fenris runs off because of memories that resurface," Henry goes on to say. "There's a three year period where Hawke and Fenris aren't in a relationship and the player can either choose to wait for Fenris to change his mind, or romance Anders instead. Anders enthusiastically takes Fenris' place, too."

Leto growls at that and quips "Fool mage!"

Andreas laughs. "Now there's the Fenris I know!"

"I don't like the idea of a game manipulating our romantic lives in such a fashion," Leto grumbles.

"Well, now that you've broken away from the game, or wherever you really came from, you get to choose whom to love," Henry said optimistically. "Here you can truly be free."

"I like the sound of that!" Andreas said, "What do you think Leto?"

"Yes, being truly free is what we've both longed for," Leto replied. "Do you think there is any chance we could go back?"

"I doubt it," Andreas replied. "For us to repeat the process, we'd need to restore our fade abilities, which I think in this world would be impossible. Plus with no magic, no fade and no Eluvian, I honestly don't see how we'd ever get back. I'm afraid we're stuck here."

"Good," said Leto. "From what I've seen so far, I prefer this world."

All of a sudden from across the street, someone shouted at them "Hey get back into the closet, you freakin' fags!"

"Are they shouting at us?" Andreas asked Henry.

"Unfortunately, yes. It's because you're holding hands. Not everyone in this world has accepted relationships between two men, or two women, yet." Henry apologized. "However it is getting better. Many states in our country now allow same sex marriage. Fortunately, ours is one of them, but not everyone agrees with it."

They continued walking a bit more, Andreas stubbornly hanging onto Leto's hand, despite the jeer. He wasn't about to let one loud mouth prevent him from sharing his affection whenever and wherever he chose.

They finally arrived at the restaurant, featuring what Henry called Mexican food. As they waited for their table, Henry gave them a quick geography lesson and explained briefly the history of the land they found themselves in, called the United States of America, and its two bordering lands, Canada and Mexico.

Once they were seated they were given a basket of some flat, triangular bread and a red looking sauce.

"Go ahead and try it. We call this 'chips and salsa,'" Henry explained, "but be careful, the red sauce may be a bit spicy."

Leto and Andreas sampled the food and Andreas found the salsa it too spicy for his liking, and opted to eat the chips without, while Leto kept going back for more, humming contentedly. The waitress initially gave Leto an odd stare, but then asked what drinks they would like. Henry ordered for them, ordering a pitcher of 'margaritas' for the table. Thankfully they weren't asked for any I.D. this time.

"So, what did Miranda have to offer you both?" Henry finally asked.

"We start work tomorrow. She gave us details on where to go. I think we're helping out at something called a soup kitchen?" Andreas replied questioningly. "She also found us a small apartment that will be closer to where we will be working. We can move in this weekend."

"That's great. I knew Miranda would come through," Henry grinned. "I'm going to miss having you as house guests, but it's for the best. I'll definitely keep in touch and you both can always reach out to me for anything."

When the pitcher arrived, Henry ordered food for them as well, remembering to avoid anything with fish in it for Leto, and then poured each of them a drink. He raised his glass to toast their good news.

"We'll need to go shopping before you move, get you some basics, like towels and soap and other essentials," Henry said after the toast.

Andreas and Leto sampled their drinks. "This is really good," Leto hummed approvingly. "Much better than the swill they served at the Hanged Man."

Andreas and Leto both enjoyed their margaritas so much they were on their second one by the time the food arrived.

"So, let me explain what I ordered for you both before you start eating," Henry said as the plates were put down in front of them. "I ordered a basic beef and bean burrito for you Andreas. I could tell you couldn't take the spice of the salsa so that's a basic, mild dish. For Fenris, I got you the chicken enchiladas, with their spicy red sauce. If the heat is too much, add some of this sour cream."

They were about to take their first bites when Andreas and Leto were startled when Henry's dish was served on a skillet that sizzled loudly, as if it were still extremely hot.

"I'm having steak fajitas myself," Henry grinned at the pair's reaction. "Don't worry, it's supposed to come out sizzling hot like this. That's part of the whole experience."

Andreas took his first tentative bite of his burrito and immediately hummed in delight. "This is really delicious," he managed to say between bites. "Very flavorful. So much better than the bland stew I usually ate back in Kirkwall."

Leto was tucking into his enchiladas, clearly enjoying the dish as well. "Try a little with sour cream even if you can take the heat. It adds an interesting mix of flavor," Henry suggested. Leto tried his next bite with the sour cream and nodded appreciatively.

"It really feels like we're getting a second chance at life," Andreas mused. "At first I was angry at Merrill and her stupid Eluvian, but I suppose we should be grateful. I hope Hawke goes somewhat easy on her."

"Hmm. Indeed. Hawke would be rather upset that Merrill cost him his best warrior and healer," Leto said with a laugh. "I, for one, am rather glad to not be at his beck and call anymore."

...

Meanwhile, back in Thedas …

Merrill was pacing in front of Hawke, Varric, Isabela, and Aveline, wringing her hands, a very pained look upon her face.

"So, what you're telling me is, you continued to try and activate that damned mirror, after I specifically asked you not to," Hawke said, reiterating the story Merrill had just accounted for them.

Merrill simply nodded.

"And then when I wouldn't give you the tool you needed for it, you enlisted Anders' and Fenris' help, hoping their fade energies would activate the damned thing, which it did, just before it sucked Anders and Fenris into it?" Hawke was practically shouting now.

"Merrill! Do you realize what you've done?!" Hawke screamed at her.

"Y … yes. I'm so, so sorry Hawke. I didn't mean for them to … to be affected in any way. I thought if they just touch it ever so lightly. I … I didn't think …" Merrill babbled.

"That's exactly right. YOU. DIDN'T. THINK!" Hawke raged. "Now Anders and Fenris are Maker knows where, probably at each other's throats. We'll be lucky that they don't just kill each other in whatever place they ended up, assuming that mirror didn't just kill them to begin with!"

"Well, the Eluvian is active now, and I've gone to search for them a few times before I came to tell you … but I cannot find them anywhere," Merrill said with a small sob.

"Get out," Hawke ground through his teeth.

"Hawke?" Merrill asked, eyes brimming with tears.

"I said, get. out." Hawke repeated. "Do not ever come back unless you have Anders and Fenris with you, do you understand? I never want to see you again, Merrill, ever. Take that damned mirror of yours and bring it back to your clan as you had planned, but leave us out if it."

"Al…alright. I am so sorry. I will keep looking for them, I promise!" Merrill said before fleeing Varric's room at the Hanged Man.

...

Andreas, Leto and Henry managed to mostly walk back to Henry's place (there may have been a few stumbles due to the margaritas that all three would later vehemently deny).

By the time they got back, they were still pleasantly inebriated. Henry said his good nights and told them he would help them get up the next morning and to not forget to take a shower that night so that Henry could take one in the morning.

Andreas and Leto stumbled to the bathroom together and shared the shower again as they had the night before. Andreas really had intended to keep his hands to himself this time, except to honestly help Leto wash his back, but the damned sexy elf was _right there_. Looking at him. Pushing him into the far shower wall and _licking_ his neck.

Andreas lost all his composure, pulling Leto into a fierce kiss. His heart pounded, his head swam and he just wanted to touch Leto everywhere.

Then Andreas remembered where they were and tried to pull back. "Leto…we shouldn't…Henry…" he tried to say, his words barely coming out as breathless whispers.

"Touch me," Leto growled demandingly into his ear.

When Andreas still wouldn't move Leto grabbed one of his hands and guided it to his arousal. "Can't you feel how much I want you? I can feel how much you want me…" Leto wrapped his hand around Andreas' turgid length, his hand still soapy, sliding easily over hard flesh. Andreas let out a moan and buried his head into Leto's neck and finally gave in, stroking Leto in long, languid strokes.

They both continued to stroke each other slowly, as Leto pulled Andreas into a deep, passionate kiss. Andreas was grateful he was the one leaning against the shower wall as his knees began to feel weak. Between the alcohol, the intoxicating elf and the delicious, slippery friction sliding along his shaft Andreas knew he couldn't hold out much longer. Andreas was practically mewling in pleasure as he redoubled his efforts sliding along the length of Leto's cock, feeling the elf begin to tremble. Leto leaned his weight onto Andreas' to steady himself.

Andreas was past the breaking point now, his breath becoming shallow. "Leto…ungh…I'm gonna…"

Leto licked the shell of Andreas' ear and then growled softly. "Cum for me Andreas."

Andreas came completely undone in Leto's hand, hot jets spilling over his hand as he continued to milk the man's cock. Andreas muffled his cry into Leto's shoulder, biting down, causing Leto to arch and buck into Andreas' hand that had momentarily stilled. Andrea renewed his efforts until Leto was cursing in Tevene into his ear shortly before spilling over Andreas' hand.

They both took a moment to catch their breath. Then Leto looked up at Andreas and blushed. "I'm … I'm sorry. I just wanted … so much." His words failed him but Andreas understood.

"I know. I wanted too. We just shouldn't take advantage of Henry's hospitality," Andreas said as he leaned down, kissing Leto softly. Andreas then broke out into a wicked grin "Only a few days and we'll have our own place. Then I can ravish you properly."

Leto blushed at that. Then he noticed the water was beginning to turn tepid and they both hurried to finish their shower.

They soon found themselves wrapped around each other in the living room. As Andreas began to drift off to sleep he was thinking of what a lucky man he was and he looked forward to the next day's adventures.


	8. Trouble Brewing

The next morning Henry woke up his house guests early because he decided they would go out and have breakfast, before Henry dropped them off for their first day at work. He insisted he would drive them there every day until they got settled into their new place.

They stopped at a modest looking restaurant and Henry happily exclaimed they made the best breakfast in Denver. For Andreas and Leto, breakfast was a rare luxury, and often it consisted of left over stew or thin gruel. The sheer variety of breakfast items seemed overwhelming so they let Henry order for them again. Henry opted to order what he called "a la carte," and they soon had a table full of pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, waffles, French toast and even a breakfast burrito. They all sampled from every dish and Andreas and Leto loved every bite, washing it all down with cups of coffee.

Henry then drove them to the soup kitchen they would be working at, and promised to come pick them up at the end of their shift. As Andreas and Leto got out of the car they were greeted by Miranda.

"Glad you both made it on time," Miranda greeting them with a smile. "I thought I'd meet you here and help you get settled in."

Henry got out of his car and came to greet Miranda personally. "Thanks again for helping these two out. I really appreciated it."

"Anything for my best volunteer!" Miranda said cheerfully. "Now get going. Don't be late for work on our account!"

Henry waved goodbye to Andreas and Leto and sped off, still having a long commute, hoping to make it in time for his job at 9am.

"So are you both ready to get to work?" Miranda asked, ushering them both into a large, red-brick building.

"Definitely. I still miss spending time at the free clinic I used to run," Andreas said, eagerly.

Miranda led them through to a large kitchen where several others were already working. "Hey gang, meet Andreas and Leto. They're going to be joining you guys for the day shift for now."

The three people turned around and looked at the two of them. Two of them tried not to gawk at Leto, but one man spoke up. "Aw Miranda, you're not gonna make us work with that freak are you?" He twisted his thin face in disgust. He was a small man, with poor posture, and short-cropped hair.

"Now Howard, what did I tell you about judging people by their appearance?" Miranda chided.

"Fine. I'm sorry," Howard mumbled. Then under his breath he said "guys that do that to themselves are always trouble."

Leto stepped forward, and edge of anger in his voice. "Do what to themselves? Do you mean my markings?"

Andreas put a hand on Leto's arm. "Not now Leto. They wouldn't understand."

Leto nodded. He had taken note of odd stares from people in passing the past couple of days, knowing he must look strange to all the humans who had never seen an elf. He recalled that Henry had told him that people would assume he'd had willingly had the markings put on his body, and had surgically altered his ears. "Body modifications" Henry had called it. Humans in this world wouldn't understand that he'd been born with those ears, and that he'd been forced to have the markings put on his body.

Leto growled but backed down. Howard just gave an angry stare at them both before turning his back and going back to whatever task he had been working on.

"Let's just get to work," Leto huffed. "What shall we do?"

"Casey? How can these two help?" Miranda asked one of the other men.

Casey was a large, genial looking man. He had no hair and was wearing a large white apron over simple t-shirt and jeans. "Well there are a ton of vegetables that need chopping for the soups, and then I need one more on the serving line for lunch later."

The third man was named Arthur, and he spoke little, mostly keeping to himself and completing whatever task Casey asked of him.

The rest of the morning Andreas and Leto helped to chop vegetables that went into the large pots of soup. Then Casey decided it was best if Andreas worked on the serving line, knowing not all people they were serving would accept Leto's odd appearance. In order to further diffuse the tension, Casey also assigned Howard to the serving line as well. Leto remained in the kitchen to begin the cleaning process as the soup began to be served.

As they were ladling out bowls of soup for the seemingly endless line of homeless people, Howard asked Andreas. "Why do you hang out with a freak like that?"

Andreas tensed at the question. "Leto is not a freak. He's a good man, and he's saved my life on countless occasions. Not to mention I think his markings look beautiful."

Leto overheard Andreas defending him to Howard as he was working closer to the door that led from the kitchen to the serving line. It made him blush and his heart clench to hear the praise.

"Aw, man, don't tell me you two are _gay_ for each other, are you?" Howard growled.

"What do you mean?" Andreas asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"You know, as in do you like fucking each other?" Howard asked crassly.

"I wouldn't know," Andreas answered honestly, with a cheeky grin. "We haven't tried yet."

"Great, you're both a couple of freaks," Howard grumbled, and went back to silently ladling out soup.

Andreas smiled and happily greeted everyone he served that day, doing his best to try and brighten each person's day a little bit. He joked, laughed and even flirted with some and soon there was a buzz over the handsome blonde who seemed so happy to serve them.

On the other hand Howard's mood seemed to get more foul as the lunch shift continued, and he became more taciturn and even outwardly rude to the people he was serving. By the end of the lunch shift, several complaints had been filed.

Once the lunch shift was officially over, Andreas and Howard went back into the kitchen. It was time to finish cleaning and prepare for the dinner shift, after a short break.

"Howard, can I speak with you in my office?" Casey asked, a frown on his face. Howard grumbled but followed the larger man. Soon shouts could be heard from the two men before Casey's voice could be heard screaming "I quit you freak lover!" followed by the loud slamming of a door.

Casey came back to the kitchen with an embarrassed look on his face. "Sorry about that guys. I knew Howard was trouble but I didn't figure him to be that full of hate. He won't be coming back."

They all finished their break, eating some of the leftover soup for their lunch. They then got back to work in companionable silence, cleaning the kitchen and preparing for the dinner service that began at 5pm. They finally wrapped everything up by 8pm, after having eaten some more soup for their dinner. That seemed to be one perk of this work, they were provided with two meals each day, which they helped to cook and serve. Leto prudently realized this would save them a lot of money, after seeing how much Henry had spent on their restaurant meals.

With their day finally over, Andreas and Leto exited the building into the evening twilight. They saw Henry waiting for them in his car. What they hadn't expected was to see Howard again, this time flanked by two larger men, both wielding what looked like large wooden clubs.

Howard pointed at them and yelled. "That's the freaks that cost me my job! Go get 'em!"

Within moments the two large brutes were attacking Andreas and Leto. For the first time since meeting Henry, Andreas really regretted the loss of his magic and his staff. Thankfully he remembered a few defensive moves and ducked before the club aimed at him could make contact with his body. Leto was similarly weaving and dodging as the one brute inelegantly tried to attack him.

Leto managed to gain an upper hand when on one duck, he managed to snap his fist in a punch, aimed directly at the brute's groin, doubling him over in pain. Leto immediately grabbed the club and hit his attacker over the head, knocking him unconscious. Next he turned his attention to the brute attacking Andreas, knocking him out as well before they both turned and faced Howard.

"T..that's not possible! Fags like you can't beat real men like that!" Howard stammered, before turning tail and running, abandoning his companions to their fate.

Henry was stunned. At first he tried to rush to their aide, but it was over so fast all he could do was stare in disbelief. "Wow. I've never seen anyone fight like that before."

"Danarius did make sure I was trained in several fighting disciplines, including hand-to-hand combat," Leto explained. "These two were clumsier brutes than even the Qunari."

"Well let's get out of here. The last thing you two need right now is to give statements to the police," Henry said. They all got into Henry's car and they drove off.

"I see this city isn't without its share of dangers, not unlike Kirkwall," Leto remarked. "I'm almost glad. I don't have to worry about getting bored now," he said with a laugh.

"Well, be careful you two," Henry cautioned. "You're both lucky those thugs were using baseball bats and not guns."

"What are … guns?" Leto asked.

"I'll show you some videos when we get back to my place. First I was going to take you both shopping for some stuff for your new place, and to maybe pick up a six-pack of beer," Henry said. "After a long day like you both had, I bet you could use one."

Henry took them to a large store that sold primarily household items. They purchased everything from two complete sets of towels, a shower curtain and bedding, to a small serving of dishes, flatware and some pots and pans. Once Henry was satisfied they had all the basic necessities taken care of, they headed to another store that only sold alcohol. Since Andreas and Leto had no I.D., Henry went in alone to make the purchase. Leto handed Henry some money and also requested another bottle of the Merlot they had had with the lasagna the other night.

Once back at Henry's, Henry and Andreas had a beer, while Leto opted for a glass of the wine. Henry then brought out what he called a 'laptop computer,' and called up some videos to demonstrate what guns were and how dangerous they are.

"They can kill you without you ever seeing it coming," Henry warned. "So try not to make too many enemies."

Andreas and Leto recounted the events of the day to Henry and it quickly came to light that Howard was going to be trouble regardless of how careful (or not) Andreas and Leto were being. Henry began to worry about them living and working in that dangerous area of Denver, despite the fact that they had both survived all of Kirkwall's violence. However, seeing them both fight, he was more convinced now that they really were the Anders and Fenris from the game he loved playing.

What mystified Henry was how it was at all possible for them to have ever manifested into his world. That should have been impossible. Henry mused contacting Bioware about it, but wasn't sure what, if anything, they could even do.

The rest of the week passed without further incident. Andreas and Leto find their work at the soup kitchen tiring but satisfying. Their evenings are spent talking to Henry and often making out in the shower before going to bed. They haven't yet spoken about their developing feelings, everything still being so new and foreign.

Saturday dawns warm and sunny, and they have agreed to meet Miranda outside of their new apartment just after noon. They take in a lazy morning, while Henry graciously offers to cook them breakfast. Then they pack all their new belongings into Henry's car and go out for a quick lunch before heading to the apartment.

As they drove up to the address Miranda gave them, she was once again waiting for them outside and greeted them warmly.

"Hey, I want to apologize for what happened to you guys on Monday. Howard was always a handful, but I never thought he'd ever go that far," she said, apologetically. "I've beefed up security at the soup kitchen and I have some guys that will patrol the area between here and there and keep an eye out for signs of trouble."

Andreas and Leto thanked Miranda, but tried to assure her that they weren't worth the extra trouble that they could take care of themselves just fine.

"If that were true, you wouldn't need help from Henry or myself, would you?" Miranda asked pointedly.

Andreas sighed and nodded. "You're right, we were a bit lost before Henry came along and helped us out."

"We just spent years being self-reliant, it's difficult for us to accept so much kindness," Leto added.

Andreas just had a revelation when Leto said that. "Wait, but then … what about Hawke?"

Leto felt stunned that he'd forgotten. Hawke had helped them both in countless ways. They'd probably both be dead, _or worse_ , if it hadn't been for Hawke's intervention.

"OK, we're both just two poor, sorry men who would like to think they have things together more than we probably, actually do," Andreas sighed.

"Shall we take a look at your new place?" Miranda suggested.

They all went inside. Miranda showed how they had two security doors to go through to get into the building. Then they went to the elevator, and she pushed on the number 5. This elevator was clearly much older and not as well maintained as the one in the newer office building the non-profit operated from, but it was still functional. Andreas and Leto were less nervous riding one this time.

They arrived on the fifth floor and Miranda took them to the door marked 5A. She opened the door and they all went inside.

The main room was small, but not uncomfortably so. It was furnished with a double bed, a small television, a couple of end tables, a small bureau, and a small table with two chairs. In the small kitchen there was a sink, stove, refrigerator and microwave. Looking into the bathroom it was about the same size as Henry's, with a sink, toilet and full bath and shower.

Andreas and Leto seemed pleased. "This is adequate for our needs, thank you Miranda, "Leto said.

"Wonderful! Well let's get you both moved in!" Henry said enthusiastically.

Between the four them they had Henry's car unpacked in no time, and Henry and Miranda stayed to help them set up, hanging the shower curtain, making the bed, and other little touches.

Soon the small studio felt more livable, and they all sat down to rest, Henry and Miranda at the small table, and Andreas and Leto on the bed.

"Tradition dictates that when moving into a new home, pizza and beer should be served. I'll run out and get some beer. Miranda, do you know a good place that delivers pizza here?" Henry asked.

"As a matter of fact I do," Miranda laughed and produced her mobile phone from her purse. Andreas and Leto just looked at each other and shrugged. They knew about beer, but had not yet experienced pizza. However if it was anywhere near as good as the other food they had sampled that week, they were sure they'd enjoy it.

Henry and the pizza delivery guy arrived at the apartment at the same time, and that earned the delivery guy a small increase in tip for his promptness. They were soon all sitting with a plate in their laps and a beer in their hand.

As Henry arrived back, Andreas and Leto had noted he was carrying an extra bag with him, but they decided not to comment on it. Once they were all comfortably full with pizza and beer, Henry went to get it and presented it to Andreas and Leto.

"This is for you guys. It's a house warming gift, of sorts," Henry said. "It's a tradition in our world to give a gift to people moving into a new home." They opened the bag and fished out two identical boxes, with the photo of one of those smart mobile phone devices on it.

"They are pay-as-you-go phones," Henry began to explain. "You don't need I.D. to own one, when you use up the time on them, you can buy more time later. I got 3 months loaded on them for you. These are essential in order to stay in contact with people in our world."

Andreas and Leto were speechless. This was a generous gift and they recognized the value in such technology. Henry offered to help them activate the devices and then how to use them.

"Well boys, that's my cue to exit. I'm glad to see you both settled into your own place. Have a wonderful weekend!" Miranda said, as she stood and began exiting the small apartment.

"Thanks again for everything Miranda. We greatly appreciate it." Andreas and Leto got up to show her out.

Then Henry spent the better part of an hour showing them how to use their new devices once he had them activated and programmed his and Miranda's numbers into each. They were amazed at the array of functionality they had. Henry also helped them set alarms on the devices so they would be awakened at the correct hour on Monday when they had to resume their work.

"Well, I should be heading back to my place," Henry said. "You should have enough pizza and beer to tide you both over until tomorrow. I'll take you to the closest grocery store tomorrow afternoon so you can stock up on other food necessities. And maybe get a coffee maker?"

Andreas and Leto nodded at the suggestion of a coffee maker. They would definitely need one of those.

Henry then took his leave and Andreas and Leto found themselves alone. In private.

"So, now what?" Andreas asked jovially, looking at Leto.

Leto found that all of a sudden his chest felt tight and the room felt uncomfortably warm as he looked at Andreas.

Andreas smirked, noticing Leto's sudden discomfort. "I do believe I promised to properly ravish you tonight," he said, waggling his eyebrows for emphasis. "But perhaps we should talk first?"

"Talk about what?" Leto asked.

"Well, clearly we've started to develop … something … between us," Andreas began. "Perhaps we should talk about that a little bit before we just fuck each other senseless?"

Leto visibly swallowed at the visual Andreas' words just conjured and nodded. "Yes, that may be … wise."

"So," Andreas began. "How do you feel about me, Leto?"


	9. Lovemaking

Leto fidgeted as he looked at Anders. How did he feel about the former mage? It was a valid question, but not one he readily had an answer for.

"I no longer hate you," Leto began.

Andreas chuckled and stepped closer to him. "Good, since I don't think I ever truly hated you."

Leto thought back to all the times he and Andreas had bickered in Kirkwall, and also all the times he'd thought of the mage when he was alone in his decrepit mansion. "I … actually never hated you either. Not really."

"Then why? Why were you always so … angry at me all the time? I know I was a mage, but you didn't react like that around Bethany," Andreas asked calmly.

Leto began to blush and he stared down at his feet. "It's because I … I also found you very attractive. I feared my own feelings almost more than I feared you, because I could see myself letting you possess me with your charm. It really scared me. I didn't want to be under the thrall of another mage again."

Andreas' eyes went wide upon hearing the confession, and then let out a deep sigh. "Then we were both a couple of blighted fools back in Kirkwall, weren't we?"

Andreas reached out and pushed some of Leto's white locks behind a pointed ear, gently caressing the tip, causing Leto to visibly shudder and let out a small moan.

Leto finally looked up into Andreas' eyes and nodded. "Indeed, we were."

"So, now that I'm not a mage anymore, are you no longer afraid of falling under my thrall?" Andreas asked with a hint of amusement, stepping even closer to the elf.

"I do not fear being enthralled by a man," Leto said with a smirk. "In fact, I'm quite looking forward to it."

Leto closed the final distance between them, wrapping his arms around Andreas' torso, while Andreas wrapped his arms around the elf's shoulders. Their lips met, soft, sweet and familiar. Andreas' mouth parted willingly, allowing entrance to Leto's questing tongue, craving the taste of the man. Slowly Leto dragged his lips to kiss the man's stubbled jawline, and up to suckle on Andreas' earlobe, causing the man to moan softly.

Andreas whispered breathlessly. "What if I want to fall under your thrall instead?"

Leto just growled softly and suckled the earlobe harder, before swiping his tongue down the man's neck, down to his pulse point. "Then under my thrall you shall be, _human_ ," Leto growled before biting down on Andreas' neck, marking him.

Leto could tell that the sensation of his bite had gone straight to the man's cock, as he felt it twitch within the confines of his jeans, pressed so close to his own. Leto moved his hands down towards Andreas' ass, squeezing the full, round cheeks in his hands, pulling Andreas even more flush with him, before capturing the man's lips with his own once more. Andreas groaned into the kiss as Leto began grinding his hips against him.

Leto then slid his hands up, under Andreas' t-shirt, tracing his fingers over lean muscles and old scars, making the man shudder at the feel of the warm hands on his skin.

Andreas then broke away from the kiss with a silly grin on his face and in one swift motion took the t-shirt off and tossed it aside. Leto followed suit, before his hands went to Andreas' hips, slowly sliding his fingers forward so he could work open the button. Leto licked his lips as Andreas helped by pushing off the jeans, letting them pool around his ankles as he stepped out of them, his erection bobbing free in the process.

Leto quickly removed his jeans as well and they stood there for a brief second admiring each other's familiar naked form. Then with surprising quickness, Leto felt himself swept up in Andreas' arms and carefully laid down onto their bed. _Their_ bed. The thought of it made Leto's heart clench again. This was really happening. Something that he never imagined ever could happen, and now here they were, together.

As Andreas settled in above him, Leto felt a rush of emotion that caused tears to begin pricking at the corners of his eyes. He was never one for sentimentality, so he was surprised by the wave of emotion.

Andreas noticed the emotions in Leto's face, as he settled next to him, pulling him into an embrace, kissing away the tears that had begun to fall. "Shhh, Leto. It's ok. We don't have to do this, if you don't want to."

Leto looked into Andreas' warm, kind eyes, still lust blown but filled with sympathy. "You don't understand. I do want to. I don't think I've ever wanted anything more," Leto said hoarsely. "I want you, Andreas. I want you more than words can say."

Andreas leaned down and kissed him again, tenderly. "I want you too, Leto. I have for a long time, but I never dared hope …"

Leto cut off Andreas' words with another kiss, before moving on top of the man, straddling his waist, letting his erection slide next to Andreas' cock, causing them both to moan loudly at the friction.

Leto looked down at Andreas as he slowly ground his hips. "Tell me what you want Andreas. What did you dream we would do together?"

Andreas smirked. "Justice would always reprimand me for having these thoughts, but I kept picturing you slamming me against a wall and just taking me right then and there, hard and rough."

"What if I don't want to take you like that? Would you be disappointed?" Leto asked, teasingly.

"No, not at all. Take me however you want, Leto. _Please_ , I just need you," Andreas begged as his hips began to grind up against Leto's.

To be needed…wanted… _desired_. Leto had never seen himself as desirable, not after what Danarius had done to him. Yet clearly here was a man who did desire him… _and more_. The raw emotions on Andreas' face spoke volumes to the former slave who had learned years ago how to read the slightest emotion on people's expression. What he saw now made his heart soar.

Leto bent down, trapping their erections between them, and whispered into Andreas' ear. "I want to make slow, sensuous love to you. I want to watch you come completely undone beneath me, begging, crying for release. When I finally let you, I want to hear you scream my name as you cum."

Andreas groaned at the images that flooded his mind. "Yes, oh Leto, yes," he moaned, cupping the elf's face and kissing Leto with passion.

Leto let himself get lost in Andreas' sensuous mouth again, sliding their tongues together, hot and wet.

Leto then realized something and asked, "Oil? Do we have any?"

Andreas got a wicked grin, and reached for something under the pillow. "I have something better. Henry recommended it and I purchased it the other day when we all went to that 'drug store' together. It's called 'lube.'"

Leto looked at the strange flask of clear liquid. "So that's what you were doing when you slipped away that evening?"

Andreas nodded, still with a wicked grin on his face. "I told you I've been wanting this for a long time. I wasn't going to be unprepared."

Leto leaned in to kiss the grin off Andreas' face, while taking the flask of 'lube' from his hand. He then poured a little on his fingers and felt the smooth slickness of it, and nodded approvingly. He slowly stroked Andreas' weeping shaft with it and it made the slide of his hand over the hot, hard flesh smooth and slick. Andreas arched his hips up at the touch, his mouth opening in a silent moan.

"Mmm yes, this will do nicely," Leto said wickedly.

Leto got off of Andreas and moved himself between the blonde man's legs, encouraging him to spread his thighs. He then grabbed a pillow and positioned it beneath Andreas' lower back to improve the angle. He then poured some more of the slick substance on his fingers and began massaging slow circles around Andreas' hole, causing the man to whimper and groan. Slowly Leto pushed one finger inside and Andreas arched at the intrusion, driving the digit farther in. Slowly Leto began a rhythm with the one finger, causing Andreas to begin to writhe and moan.

"Hmm if I had known you were so easy to please, I would have tried this years ago," Leto teased.

Andreas just pleaded. " _More. Please_!"

Leto chuckled warmly and added a second finger, continuing the slow motions, scissoring his fingers now, preparing his lover for the pleasures yet to come. Then he crooked his fingers against what he knew was a pleasure point and Andreas screamed in ecstasy.

Leto paid a bit more attention to that spot, until he could tell Andreas was getting close. He then slowly withdrew his fingers and slicked up his own neglected cock.

Leto climbed back up to capture Andreas' panting mouth, before whispering. "Are you ready for me?"

"Oh yes, Leto. Please … I need you inside me. _Right. Now_." Andreas pleaded.

"You beg so beautifully," Leto breathed huskily as he lined himself up and slowly sank into Andreas' slicked, tight heat.

The sensation of the heat and tightness around his cock was excruciating, in the most beautiful way possible. Once he was completely sheathed in it, he stopped, panting, trying to regain his composure. Discarding the bottle of slick, he captured Andreas' mouth again, kissing deeply.

Slowly, so slowly, Leto began to move, sliding in and out of Andreas. It felt so good and Andreas was so beautiful as he lay beneath him, moaning his name. Andreas brought his hands down to Leto's bum, massaging and caressing his firm cheeks as they undulated.

Leto was true to his word, making very slow, sensuous love to Andreas, keeping his pace measured, matching the slow thrust of his hips into Andreas with the slow thrust of his tongue into the man's mouth. Leto kept changing angles and speed, driving Andreas to the brink again and again, before pulling back.

Eventually Andreas couldn't take it anymore and he was indeed begging and pleading for release.

"Leto, please … I need to cum … _Please_!" Andreas begged.

Leto finally took Andreas' weeping cock into his hand and began to stroke it, while increasing his pace, feeling his own orgasm building. When he was close to the edge, he leaned down and whispered. "Cum for me Andreas. Let me hear you, scream my name…"

Andreas did just that, screaming Leto's name like a chant at every pulse as he came, hard.

Leto finally couldn't hold back anymore, his own orgasm close as Andreas' clenched even tighter around him. He grabbed the mans' hips and began to truly pound into the man, finally going over the edge of ecstasy, coming deep inside Andreas, coating him with his seed, staking his claim on this beautiful, amazing man.

...

Afterwards they lay silent in each other's arms as they both came down from the best orgasm either of them could ever remember having.

Andreas kissed Leto on the forehead, breaking the silence. "That was amazing."

"You are amazing," Leto responded, leaning back to look at Andreas. "No one has ever made me feel like this before."

Leto caressed Andreas' face, feeling that delicious clench in his chest again, his heart racing.

"We've known each other for so long, wanted each other for almost as long, and yet this all feels so new, so wonderful. My heart is so filled with joy. I don't recall ever feeling this happy," Leto confessed.

"I can't believe we wasted all those years bickering. Well actually I can. Justice held me back from confronting you. I wanted to tell you how I felt years ago," Andreas confessed. "I really messed up when I joined with him. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Well, he's gone now, and you can decide how to live your life now," Leto said comfortingly, kissing Andreas on the forehead. "No more Justice. No more Templars. No more slavers. We're both finally free to just live."

Andreas smiled down at the elf. "I only know one thing for sure, I want you in my life. Now more than ever." Tears began to well in his eyes again, as he took a shuddering sigh. "This may be too soon…but I need to tell you this. Leto, I'm in love with you."

Hearing the confession sends Leto reeling, his heart clenching so tight he struggles to breathe. Tears well into his eyes as well and he is silent for a long while, trying to regain his composure. "Oh Andreas… _Amatus_ … I… love you too. It's been building in me for so long and I've been fighting it, but… I love you."

They draw each other into another sweet, slow kiss, melting into each other's arms, feeling happier than either of them had ever remembered feeling.

Finally they broke apart and went to shower in their own private bathroom for the very first time. Still on a euphoric high they made love again in the shower, Andreas getting his wish to be taken up against a wall happily fulfilled by Leto.

Then they fell into their bed together and snuggled under the covers until drifting off to sleep, mumbling words of love and adoration to each other.

...

The next day Henry called Andreas on his phone, which startled him the first time he'd heard it ring. Andreas fumbled and nearly dropped it when he tried to answer it, causing Leto to laugh aloud.

"Hey, Andreas, is now a good time for me to swing by and take you two grocery shopping?" Henry asked.

"Sure, come on over Henry. Leto and I are dying for some coffee already," Andreas said, yawning for emphasis.

Henry laughed. "Well let's go get coffee first then!"

Henry immediately noticed a change in the two, noting that instead of merely holding hands, they walked with their arms around each other now, and there were quick kisses and caresses, and he heard Leto refer to Andreas as ' _Amatus_ '. Henry blushed when he realized what they probably had been up to the night before.

"I don't know if I'll ever get over the two of you being a couple," Henry laughed. "You would certainly blow the minds of a lot of Dragon Age fans."

They went to a coffee shop first and ordered coffee and pastries, then sat outside on the shop's patio, enjoying another sunny, warm day.

"So I need to know… did you two feel this way about each other back in Kirkwall?" Henry asked curiously.

They both nodded, blushing. "Apparently we did, but were both too foolish to admit it," Andreas acknowledged. "Also Justice kept holding me back. I had wanted to tell Fenris… Leto… how I felt years ago."

"So you don't miss having that Spirit in your head anymore?" Henry asked.

"Maker no! I'm glad he's gone. I can see now how much of my life he stole from me," Andreas confessed. Leto gave his hand a loving squeeze upon hearing those words.

"Not to step on any toes, but how much have you told Leto about being a Grey Warden?" Henry asked cautiously.

Andreas' eyes widened at that, and he looked nervous, fidgeting with his coffee cup. "Well, um…"

Leto's eyes narrowed, suspicious. "Andreas? What haven't you told me?"

Andreas let out a sigh. "I'm not really sure it's even an issue anymore, since all of our other magical abilities disappeared when we came through the Eluvian."

Leto reached out and took Andreas' hand. "Tell me, _Amatus_. Please."

"There are reasons why only Grey Wardens can stop a blight," Andreas began. "Such as the fact we can detect Darkspawn, and in turn they can detect us."

"Yes, that I knew from our journey into the Deep Roads with Hawke," Leto nodded.

"Also that we're the only ones that can really kill an Archdemon," Andreas explained. "When an Archdemon dies, its soul passes to the nearest tainted being. If it's another Darkspawn, it's reborn and the Blight continues. If it's a Grey Warden, they both die. It's the Grey Warden's ultimate sacrifice."

"Tainted?" Leto asked.

"Yeah, Grey Wardens are forced to go through a Joining ritual when conscripted. It involves drinking the blood of the Darkspawn, mixed with the blood of an Archdemon, and probably some magic that even I don't know," Andreas said. "That means all Grey Wardens carry the taint. Those of us who survive the Joining ritual usually have a shortened lifespan because of it."

"Grey Wardens use… blood magic?" Leto asked in shock.

"Yeah, they do. It's the only blood magic ritual I've ever willingly been a part of, and only because if I hadn't become a Grey Warden, I would have been dragged back to the Circle and been branded tranquil," Andreas said with a shudder.

"H … how long do you have?" Leto asked, fear edging into his voice.

"Well, usually a Grey Warden can survive about twenty to thirty years before they begin to hear the Calling. Once they do, they head down to the Deep Roads to kill off as many Darkspawn as they can before they die," Anders replied. "However, since I lost all my other magic, I think I may have also lost the taint as well. I haven't had nightmares that all Grey Wardens experience since coming here."

"Are you sure?" Leto asked, worry still in his voice.

"Not absolutely, no, but pretty sure. If I wake up screaming in the middle of the night, that would prove me wrong," Andreas said, squeezing Leto's hand.

"You still didn't answer me. How long do you have?" Leto repeated.

"Well let's see, completed the joining about a year before arriving in Kirkwall and I spent 6 years there. So that means, if I still have the taint, I still have between thirteen and twenty-three years left," Andreas replied. "Don't worry, you're not losing me tomorrow, love."

Leto breathed a small sigh of relief. "We'll talk more about this later, Amatus. Let's not waste more of Henry's time."

Henry looked sheepish. "I'm sorry for bringing that up, I wasn't sure if you'd told him about it and I was curious."

"It's alright Henry, it's something we needed to talk about," Andreas said with an understanding smile.

Once they had finished their coffee the three of them headed to what Henry called a 'supermarket.' Once inside, Leto and Andreas could see exactly what was so super about it. The sheer abundance of foods and other goods was astounding.

They purchased enough food to last them for the week, mostly breakfast items as they both ate lunch and dinner at the soup kitchen during the week. They also made sure to pick up a small coffee maker and all things that went with it. Once they were done, Henry dropped them off and helped them unpack all the groceries before bidding his leave.

Once alone again in their apartment Andreas mused. "Henry is a good man. I'm glad we met him when we did. I think we'd be so lost without him."

"Agreed," Leto nodded. "Now, when were you going to tell me about all that regarding Grey Wardens?"

"To be honest? Probably never," Andreas shrugged. "It's supposed to be a closely guarded secret and we're told never to talk about it, upon pain of death… and as I said, I don't think it's even an issue anymore."

"Are there any other closely guarded secrets I should know about?" Leto asked.

"No, that was the big one really," Anders shook his head. "Shall I make dinner?"

"What do you want to make?" Fenris asked curiously.

"Henry gave me the recipe for his lasagna and he helped me purchase all the ingredients for it. It seems simple enough," Andreas replied. "Shall I try making that?"

"Mmm yes. I loved that when Henry made it," Fenris nodded. "I'll go open the bottle of Merlot I picked up."

They set about preparing dinner. While they waited for the Lasagna to bake in the oven, they lay together on the bed, watching television.

After dinner they made slow, passionate love again before showering and snuggling back into bed.

As they began drifting off to sleep in each other's arms Andreas, pressed a kiss onto Leto's head, and whispered. "I could get used to this."

"As could I," Leto agreed


	10. Punishment

The next morning Andreas found it easier to get up than Leto. Andreas was used to getting up early in order to set up and open his clinic on days he wasn't out adventuring with Hawke back in Kirkwall, while Leto spent most nights up late drinking expensive wine and had to be dragged out of his mansion when Hawke required his help.

Now that they were on their own, Leto was still less inclined to get up, but Andreas helped by brewing a pot of coffee. The aroma helped rouse Leto to at least a seated position on the bed, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Here you go, Love," Andreas said in a chipper voice as he handed Leto a cup.

"How can you be so…cheerful…this early?" Leto grumped.

Andreas planted a kiss on Leto's forehead and then went about making some breakfast. It would be another long day at the soup kitchen and today was the first one where they would have to walk. It was only a few short blocks away, but they would need their energy if they were going to make it until lunch.

Leto looked fondly at Andreas over breakfast and decided to ask. "Were you always this kind and considerate, even before you merged with Justice? Or did Justice change you?"

Andreas smirked at the question. "I remember being a lot more selfish before joining with Justice. He may have been a lot of things but he did open my eyes to how much good even one person can do." Andreas then snorted out a laugh. "I even once told the Warden-Commander 'All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools.'"

Leto raised an eyebrow at that. "Pretty girls?" Leto could feel a sense of jealousy rising in his throat.

"Don't worry Love, I only have eyes for you, but back in my younger days I liked pretty girls and boys alike," Andreas said with a mischievous wink. "I was also definitely flirting with the Warden-Commander at the time. Shame she was married…"

Leto growled jealously at that last remark and Andreas laughed. "I'm sorry, Love. I shouldn't tease you like that."

"I can't help feel a little jealous when you mention your past liaisons. I find myself feeling somewhat possessive of you." Leto confessed.

Andreas smiled warmly. "Good. I happen to like being possessed, if you recall," he said with a teasing grin.

"And I am the only one you will allow to possess you now, human. _Or else_." Leto said with a wicked grin.

"Or else what, _elf_?" Andreas asked teasingly.

"Or else I may have to take you over my knee and spank some sense into you, _fool human_ ," Leto replied, chuckling, pulling Andreas into a kiss.

Andreas moaned into the kiss, his mind filled with the image of Leto's words playing in his mind. Leto quirked an eyebrow at him and began having some very wicked thoughts. They would have to wait until later, unfortunately.

"Alright Love, I think we better get dressed or we'll be late," Andreas said with a chuckle, pushing some of Leto's hair out of his face.

They walked briskly to work, trying to be mindful not to hold each other's hands. Henry had warned them that this wasn't the safest neighborhood and that such behavior may provoke an attack. Being without their weapons made them both more vulnerable and they both wanted to avoid trouble.

They arrived without incident and greeted everyone at the soup kitchen warmly. There was another full day of food preparation followed by clean-up ahead of them.

As he worked cutting vegetables, Andreas asked Casey. "I have been wondering, why are there so many people here without homes or food? Why is such a place even necessary in a city such as this?"

"Many reasons," Casey began, as he was stirring one of the large pots. "Some are down on their luck. They lost their job and couldn't find another one before losing where they lived. Others have mental illnesses but cannot afford their medication or the hospitalization they require. A few actually prefer to live like this."

"Mental illnesses?" Andreas asked, his healer instincts kicking in.

"Yeah, like severe social anxiety, depression, even schizophrenia," said Casey.

"I used to run a clinic, back where I'm from," Andreas admitted. "I wonder if there is anything I could do for them?"

"Many of them would be grateful if you could," Casey nodded. "What were you trained in?"

"I believe Henry said that you would know it as 'alternative medicine,'" Andreas replied. "Such as herbalism. Would you know where I might be able to research your local herbology?"

Casey shrugged. "If you have access to the Internet I'd start there. Otherwise there is always the local library. There's one a few blocks from here, not far from your apartment. If you want, I'll talk to Miranda about giving you time each week to research and maybe see if you can help treat some of our regulars."

"That would be wonderful," Andreas smiled. "I know that this food helps, but I really long to make a bigger difference in these people's lives."

Leto smiled to himself while overhearing the conversation as he peeled potatoes. Andreas was never going to change, he was a natural healer at heart and he wondered how much good he could have done back on Thedas if he hadn't always been trying to escape the Circle in Ferelden, especially if he hadn't been locked up in the Circle in the first place.

Leto was slightly shocked to find himself even contemplating that now, contemplating the idea of mages not being locked away. Yet, considering what he now knew about Thedas…that it may have all been a construct of some 'software programmer' like Henry, that everything he had known in life had been planned by others…including the suffering he remembered at the hands of Danarius.

These thoughts were overwhelming and Leto pushed them back. If he dwelled on them too much he knew he would become angry and he didn't want to jeopardize what he and Andreas were building together to let his old temper flare. One day he knew he'd want more answers, but not today.

After lunch Miranda paid them all a visit and handed Andreas a small pile of books. "Casey called me. I forgot that you had said you had a background in alternative medicine. Here are some books I picked up for you. Let me know what you need – we can grow any legal herbs you require. In fact now that marijuana is now legal, I will apply for a license to grow and distribute for medicinal use here as well."

"Wow, thank you so much Miranda. I have had a lot to adjust to in the last couple of weeks, but I really missed being able to heal people," Andreas beamed.

"Well, then we can help each other out. I'm bringing in a couple of new folks to help out the kitchen tomorrow, so you can focus on reading those books and getting me a list of what you'll need," Miranda said with a smile. "We have a couple of unused rooms here, we can set one up as a small clinic for you to work out of."

Andreas actually _hummed_ the rest of the day as he continued his work in the kitchen. It made Leto's heart soar to see _his human_ so happy.

Andreas was on cloud nine on the walk back to their apartment, clutching his new collection of books lovingly. "I was so afraid my healing days were over," Andreas confessed. "If Henry hadn't come along and helped us out, I would have felt so useless…less than useless."

Leto reached out to comfortingly take Andreas hand before remembering Henry's warning, instead letting his hand pat Andreas back a few times before letting his hand fall back to his side. "You would have found a way. You have a healer's instinct and you always will. You genuinely want to help people, and it's what made me…attracted to you…back in Kirkwall."

Andreas smiled at the compliment. "Do you mind if I spend some time reading tonight, Love?" Andreas asked hopefully.

"Not at all, _Amatus_ ," Leto replied. "Do you think the TV will disturb your reading?"

Andreas shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Even back in the Circle I rarely had a quiet place to read, there were always people around me talking."

"Good. I'm enjoying learning about this world through their news stories. This world is so much different from Thedas, and yet they seem to have many of the same problems…poverty, war, sickness, even _slavery_ in some parts," Leto growled the last part.

Just after they got home Leto received a call on his phone from Henry. While Andreas took off his jeans and settled himself onto the bed with his books, Leto sat at the table and talked with Henry for a while.

" _Hey Leto, I was just calling to check and see how you both were settling in?_ " Henry asked.

"Hi Henry. We're fine. We just got home from work. Andreas is in a good mood because Miranda gave him some books on herbology," Fenris replied. "She's going to help him set up a small clinic at the soup kitchen for anyone that may need medical attention."

" _That's wonderful, and a much better use of Andreas' talents_ ," Henry replied. " _Will you help him at the clinic or keep working in the kitchen?_ "

"I don't know how much help I would be," Leto confessed. "Healing is not one of my strong suits. I'm better at ripping out hearts and chopping off heads, as you may recall. At least I used to be."

" _Well, you may not be a living weapon anymore, but have you considered perhaps teaching people self-defense? Many homeless people get attacked and it might be a useful skill to teach them_ ," Henry offered.

Leto perked up at that suggestion. "I'm not very good around other people, but that may still have merit. It would be more fulfilling than peeling potatoes like a common kitchen slave."

" _Well remember you are getting paid to peel those potatoes, so it's not quite the same thing_ ," Henry admonished.

"You're right Henry," Leto admitted. "I will think on your suggestion, thank you."

" _Hey, you're welcome. I'll check in on you guys later this week. Maybe we can hang out this weekend again_? _Maybe I can introduce you to some of my friends_." Henry suggested. " _Oddly enough I kind of miss having you both around_."

"Yes, let's 'hang out' this weekend," Leto nodded in approval. "Have a good night."

As Leto put his phone away, Andreas looked up from the book he had been intently studying. "What did Henry have to say?"

"He's happy about the clinic you'll be opening," Leto replied. "He also suggested perhaps my talents would be better suited in teaching people self-defense."

"That's a wonderful idea!" Andreas beamed. "I knew you didn't really like peeling potatoes all that much."

"I think you would be well-served to learn some self-defense as well. I cannot always be there to protect you, _Amatus_ ," Leto said sternly.

"Yes, _mother_ ," Andreas teased.

Leto quickly crossed the room and pounced on Andreas, knocking the book out of his hand and pinning the man down onto the bed.

"I could have my way with you right now and you would be hopeless to resist," Leto said seriously. "I could teach you how to keep yourself from ever being in that position again."

Andreas struggled in Leto's grasp, trying to disprove Leto, but failed miserably. "You're right, Love. Without my magic I am no match for a trained warrior like yourself."

"I'm glad we agree." Leto smirked. "But I think I'll still have my way with you."

Andreas tried to put up a mock struggle at those words, but he quickly ceased as Leto descended on his mouth for a deep kiss. Leto worshipped Andreas' mouth, sucking and biting on his lower lip, trailing his tongue along it before diving deeper, exploring every inch his tongue could reach, leaving Andreas breathless and writhing beneath him.

As Leto kissed and licked his way down Andreas' neck, pinning his hands above his head, he growled "You're mine."

Andreas moaned. "Yes, my love. I'm all yours."

Leto looked down at him in all seriousness. "I mean it, Andreas. I know you were promiscuous before you joined with Justice. I will not share you."

"I promise, Leto. I want no one else but you," Andreas replied seriously. "How can you be so jealous when Isabela isn't anywhere within reach? You know all she ever wanted me for was my magic electric trick."

At that Leto growled again and flipped Andreas over onto his stomach, quickly pulling down his underwear to his knees, and moving his arms so that they were securely pinned behind his back in a powerful grip.

"Hey!" Andreas shouted in shock.

"You will learn to stop teasing me about your past _liaisons_ , Amatus, and you will learn to whom you now belong," Leto said in all seriousness, bringing down a hand swiftly onto Andreas' exposed buttocks.

Andreas' reaction wasn't quite what Leto had expected. He thought Andreas would shout, cry out, or even scream. He did none of those things. Instead he groaned. In pleasure.

Leto smacked Andreas again, slightly harder and elicited another groan.

"You're going to have to try harder than that, if you actually want to punish me," Andreas said with a wicked grin.

"That can be arranged," Leto growled, causing Andreas to let out another groan at the thought of what Leto 'trying harder' could possibly mean.

Leto let him go and got off the bed. Andreas made a whimper of disappointment. Then Leto barked a command. "Get up, on your hands and knees. Now!" Leto was inwardly smiling, realizing that he and Andreas could have some real fun together, but he didn't want Andreas to know he was enjoying this. _Not yet_.

Leto removed the leather belt he was wearing from his waist band and folded it in half, snapping it into his hand, causing Andreas to look back at him over his shoulder. Leto was pleased to see Andreas flush with excitement.

"I think you know my intention here, and I do feel the need to punish you," Leto said seriously. "But first, choose a word."

Andreas knew what Leto was planning, the role he was defining for himself in their new relationship. The thought of it sent a shiver of both fear and excitement down his spine. He loved Leto, and trusted him, and _Maker_ he wanted this. He needed to give Leto control. The mere thought of it made his cock hard.

"Maleficar," Andreas replied, after a moment of thought.

Leto nodded. "Rule number one, you will refer to me as Ser until I tell you otherwise. Rule number two, you will only speak when asked a direct question. Rule number three, you will not cum without my permission. Do you understand?"

Andreas nodded. "Yes, Ser." He had played this sort of game before and he knew how to play it well, if he wanted to.

"Very good, _human_ ," Leto said. "Now, as for your punishment. You teased me twice today with your past liaisons. That displeased me greatly. I will give you five lashes for each transgression. A total of ten unless you break a rule during your punishment. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ser," Andreas nodded again, his cock getting harder at the authoritative tone of Leto's voice.

Leto paced back and forth for a moment, admiring the power he had over Andreas. The fact that Andreas was willingly submitting to him was thrilling. He wanted to just take him right then and there, but he held back, reminding himself that Andreas should be punished if he was to ever stop teasing him in that manner.

Finally Andreas' patience faltered and he momentarily forgot the game. "Hurry up, Love. We don't have all night."

Leto bristled at the words. "That will be an extra five lashes for speaking without permission," Leto said sternly, slightly annoyed, but inwardly pleased, that Andreas had broken a rule already.

Andreas' legs began to tremble with anticipation of the first blow, but Leto made him wait a bit longer for his impatience. Instead Leto leaned in and whispered hotly into Andreas' ear. "Once you have been properly punished, _human_ , you will get the privilege of sucking my cock. If you please me in this, I may fuck you in the ass until you cum."

Andreas let out a groan mixed with pleasure and frustration at Leto's words. Who knew the sexy elf could talk so … dirty.

"Now, let us begin. Will you scream for me, _human_?" Leto said finally, straightening himself, walking behind Andreas again.

Without warning or hesitation, Leto brought down the belt onto Andreas' exposed buttocks. _Crack._

Andreas whimpered and then groaned as the sting of the lash spread into a pleasant heat. A red welt blossomed where the lash had hit.

Leto began a steady rhythm with the belt, slowly increasing the strength of the blows. The first five were relatively mild, enough to sting and build pleasure. The next five increased the sting as the blows were evenly distributed across Andreas' reddening ass.

The final five were truly meant to punish. They rained down hard and fast, leaving Andreas screaming and sobbing, tears streaming down his face. After the last blow landed Leto immediately dropped the belt, indicating the punishment was over. Leto was impressed that Andreas endured the punishment so well, without once resorting to the use of his safeword.

Leto went to the bathroom and grabbed some salve they had in the medicine cabinet. He returned and soothingly began to spread the cool lotion onto Andreas' tender ass as Andreas kept sobbing.

"Shh, it's over now. You took your punishment so well, you're such a good boy Andreas. _My human_." Leto lovingly stroked his hands up Andreas' back and gathered the sobbing man into his arms. Leto saw Andreas' expressive eyes looking at him questioningly. "You may speak."

"I'm…sorry, Ser. I didn't mean to…displease you…with my teasing today. I promise I'll try to…not do it again," Andreas choked out between sobs.

"You are forgiven," Leto said, stroking Andreas' hair. "You bore your punishment well. Is that the only reason you're crying?"

"No…I don't know. I guess I've just been bottling up a lot of emotion and…it's just flooding out of me now," Andreas confessed.

"Tell me," Leto prodded as he gently carded a hand through Andreas' long blonde hair.

"Losing my magic was difficult. I felt…crippled. Worthless," Anders admitted. "I am so grateful to Henry for his help, and for you. I'm so grateful you don't really hate me. I wanted to be with you for so long."

Leto kissed Andreas softly, feeling his heart swell at the confession. "You are mine now and I won't let you forget it."

Leto got up with a wicked grin and removed his clothing. Now fully naked he walked to the edge of the bed. "Come here, _human_. Suck my cock like the good boy you are," Leto said, trying to hold back a smirk.

Andreas eagerly crawled over and took Leto's semi-erect cock into his mouth. Leto groaned at the warm wet feeling of Andreas' mouth around his hardening length. The man slowly sucked more and more of the elf's length into his mouth, slowly relaxing his throat to take it all in, and swallowing, until his nose rested against Leto's hairless groin. The sight of that nearly made Leto cum right there and then, but he had other plans.

Leto grabbed Andreas' hair and held his head firmly in place, and slowly withdrew so that the human could take a deep breath, before he slid back down his throat, making shallow thrusts into the man's mouth until his cock swelled to full hardness.

Leto then removed himself from the delicious warmth of Andreas' mouth and grabbed their bottle of lube, tossing it on the bed. "Lie on your back and prepare yourself for me," Leto ordered.

Andreas complied, grabbing the lube and coating his fingers with the slick substance before spreading his legs and reaching down below his balls to slip a long, slender finger into his ass.

"Did you ever play with yourself like this back in Kirkwall?" Leto asked as Andreas began to moan at the pleasure he was giving himself.

"Yes, Ser. Almost every night," Andreas replied, as he slid a second finger inside himself.

"Who did you think about when you fucked your fingers?" Leto asked cautiously.

"You, Ser. After we met, you were all I could think about," Andreas confessed, flushing a deep shade of red, slipping a third finger into himself.

Leto smiled at that. "Were you perhaps preparing yourself in the hopes I would one day come down into your clinic and take you?" Leto questioned.

"Yes, Ser. Yet, you never came," Andreas said with disappointment.

"I am here now, and I am ready to take you. To mark you and claim you as mine. Are you prepared?" Leto asked, his voice now more husky with desire.

Andreas groaned, slipping his fingers out of his now well prepared hole. "Yes, Ser. Please, take me Ser," he said with a look of full-blown desire in his eyes.

Leto slicked up his still hard length, and crawled over Andreas, peppering kisses from his groin to his neck. "You've been so good. I will let you cum, but not before I command it," he said before suckling at one of Andreas' nipples, causing the man to arch into his touch.

Leto then lined himself up and slid himself swiftly to the hilt inside of Andreas, causing the man to cry out in a mix of pleasure and pain.

"You said yesterday you dreamt of me taking you hard and rough," Leto grunted, as he gave Andreas a moment to adjust to his intrusion. "Tonight I plan to fulfill that wish."

Leto leaned down and planted a harsh, bruising kiss on Andreas' lips, one that the man eagerly returned. Leto then left Andreas gasping for air as he kissed and licked his way down to the join of his neck and shoulder, and bit down, hard, sucking to make sure a deep bruise would appear.

Then with a wicked grin, Leto leaned back on his knees and grabbed Andreas' hips firmly, before he began thrusting in and out of his ass, setting a punishing pace. Leto's bony hips slammed into Andreas' backside, which was still red and tender from the earlier lashing.

The mix of pleasure and pain had Andreas screaming in ecstasy, and Leto groaned through gritted teeth as he slung Andreas' legs over his shoulders in order to change the angle, so he could better hit that spot of pleasure within Andreas. Leto knew as soon as he'd hit it at the arch in Andreas' back while he screamed Leto's name. Leto decided not to count that against Andreas… _this time_.

It was all becoming too much for Leto as he felt the heat coil in his belly, winding tighter, getting close to erupting. "Touch yourself," Leto commanded. "I want to feel you cum."

Andreas immediately wrapped a hand around his hard, neglected shaft, pumping as best he could with Leto's hard, fast thrusts.

Leto struggled to hold back his impending orgasm, wanting to feel Andreas clench around his cock first. "Cum for me," Leto commanded.

A few more hard strokes and Andreas managed to obey, cumming hard all over his hand and stomach, once again screaming Leto's name in pure ecstasy. Leto felt Andreas clench around him and he managed a few more hard, powerful thrusts, before he stilled, pumping his seed deep inside the man.

After a few moments, Leto collapsed beside Andreas, panting heavily.

Andreas curled up next to the elf, practically purring with contentment. Leto smiled down at him. "Was that what you had in mind when you fantasized about me, _Amatus_?"

Knowing the game had now come to an end, Andreas looked up into those beautiful emerald eyes. "That was even more incredible than I ever imagined, Love," Andreas said with a sigh of contentment. "I had no idea you could be so…kinky."

"You would be surprised what I am capable of," Leto grinned, running his hand down over Andreas' still tender ass. "Now you will have a reminder of who you now belong to."

"Yes, my Love. I'm yours…and you're mine," Andreas said lovingly, kissing Leto softly.

Leto smiled before getting up and pulling Andreas along with him. "Time for our shower and then we really should sleep if you don't want me to be impossibly grumpy in the morning."

Andreas laughed. "Don't worry, I'll make coffee, first thing," Andreas promised.

"You better," Leto teasingly grumped before dragging the man into the shower.


	11. Night Out on the Town

The next day Andreas and Leto arrived at work full of purpose. Henry had called Casey and made the recommendation about Leto starting a self-defense class and while they were both working in the kitchen they started to discuss plans.

In the meantime, Andreas checked out the spare rooms Miranda had mentioned to see which would be most suitable for a clinic. He decided on one that had built in cabinets and shelves built along one wall, and was large enough to accommodate a desk and at least one cot, perhaps two.

Grabbing his books, and a pencil and paper, Andreas then found a place to sit and began to study in earnest, scribbling notes and making the list Miranda had asked for. What struck him was how there was such a mix of familiar and unfamiliar plants and herbs. There was no mention of elfroot or deathroot or any of the other useful herbs he was familiar with from Thedas, yet there were some plants he was familiar with, such as several varieties of grasses and grains.

Andreas realized the creators of Thedas, this so-called company named BioWare must have invented all the herbs they used for potions, but kept all other types of plants similar to what was found in their own world. This lent more credence to the fact that Thedas may not really exist, at least not in the same sense that the world they were in now did. This greatly disturbed him, but it also explained why Leto's markings had gone black and why he'd lost his magic. Lyrium and the Fade didn't exist here. Never really existed at all except as some construct within these things called 'computers.'

And yet…Thedas in some sense must exist, or why else would he and Leto have emerged into this world, and not just been wiped from existence.

Andreas was lost in thought when a bowl of soup appeared within his field of vision. Looking up he saw Leto grinning at him. "Look at you, looking all serious," Leto said, handing him the bowl. "I was wondering where you were when you didn't come back to the kitchen for lunch."

"Sorry, I was preoccupied," Andreas shrugged. "Thanks for the soup!"

"Everyone in the lunch line today kept asking where you were," Fenris shared. "Casey had me serving today and I don't think people like me as much. I'm not as good with people as you seem to be."

"Well, if you tried to smile more and talk to people, I bet they'd love you," Andreas said with a wink before leaning in to give Leto a quick kiss on the cheek. "But not as much as I do."

Leto smiled at the sentiment.

"Casey and I discussed the possibility of the self-defense class. We agreed to start doing it two times each week to start, for an hour at a time," Leto explained. "If we get enough interest we might extend that. In the meantime, I'll still be peeling those damned potatoes."

Andreas laughed. He knew Leto wasn't enjoying the kitchen work, but they both agreed at least they were getting paid for the time they spent.

Later that afternoon Miranda came by again and Andreas gave her a list of things he'd require for the new clinic and discussed his plans for its operation. She was impressed by how thorough he was and it bolstered her confidence that she had made the right choice to hire him. The staff loved him, and their _patrons_ loved him. He was always kind and overly generous with his attention and care.

"I'll try and get all these things for you within a week or so. We'll aim to try and open the clinic for a trial run early next week, how does that sound?" Miranda asked.

"That's perfect! It will give me enough time to finish studying the books you gave me, and perhaps find a few more at the library close to our apartment," Andreas beamed happily. "I can't thank you enough for giving me this opportunity."

"I'm also working on a way to get you and Leto legalized, so that you can do things like get IDs and open bank accounts," Miranda explained. "It's impossible to properly live 'off-the-grid' in this country, so I'm doing what I can to help you both. I don't know how you got here, and I don't want to. I just know helping you both is the right thing to do."

Andreas nodded. "You and Henry are really Maker-sent," Andreas said thankfully.

Miranda quirked her eyebrow at the odd phrasing, but didn't say anything. It wasn't her place to judge people's religious beliefs.

Over the rest of the week Andreas continued his research and started setting up things in his new clinic with the supplies Miranda started to supply. By the end of the week everything looked ready for him to open the clinic the next Monday to start seeing patients. He was nervous and hoped that no one had an illness or injury so severe that he couldn't treat with the herbs or bandages he requested. He hoped he wouldn't see an injury so severe that he would truly regret not having access to his magic.

In the mean-time Leto began planning his self-defense class, with Casey giving him tips. Leto had been trained in many fighting styles, but he wasn't familiar with what Casey called _Street Fighting_. Over their breaks Casey took Leto into the room they were to use for the classes and sparred with the former warrior. Apparently Casey had once been in the military and had once also been a formidable warrior in his own right.

Once Friday evening rolled around, Andreas and Leto were tired, but happy. They had agreed to hang out with Henry that evening and he was waiting for them as they left the soup kitchen for the evening.

"Hey, it's good to see you both! How are you getting on?" Henry asked as they got into the car.

"Not bad," Andreas responded. "The clinic should be ready to open next week."

"Fantastic! How about the self-defense training, Leto?" Henry asked.

"Casey and I have put some plans together and we will start a couple of classes next week to try it out. Casey has been teaching me more about Earth-style 'street fighting,'" Leto explained.

"Good! I'm sure you'll do fantastic. Andreas will you be taking his class?" Henry asked light-heartedly.

Andreas huffed indignantly. "Yes, I suppose I must. Leto won't rest until I agree to learn how to defend myself, as if I had any problems before I met him."

"You were recaptured eight times by the Templars," Leto reminded him.

"Well, they had an unfair advantage! Having my phylactery so they could track me down, then silencing my magic…I didn't stand a chance!" Andreas complained.

"Exactly my point," Leto said. "Here you also have no magic, so what would you do if confronted by several assailants?"

Andreas sighed. "I'll take your self-defense class next week, _mother_."

Leto surged forward from the back seat and grabbed Andreas by the ponytail, yanking his head back hard. "Do not call me that again, _human_ , or you will suffer the consequences later."

A wicked grin spread over Andreas' face. "Yes, _mother_."

Leto growled again but said nothing more, letting go of Andreas' ponytail and slumping back into his seat.

Henry was a bit stunned by the last part of that conversation and shifted nervously in his seat, but managed to just keep driving.

Once they arrived at their destination and Henry parked his car, they all got out and looked around. Leto and Andreas looked up at the very tall buildings surrounding them. Bright lights lined the streets and many people were out walking in the pleasant warm evening.

"Come on, we're meeting friends of mine at a local pub that carries a lot of local Colorado microbrews," Henry said cheerfully.

"Microbrews?" Leto asked.

"Oh yeah, here in Colorado a lot of people brew their own beer. Some of them turned that into a small business, brewing small batches of beer and ale," Henry explained. "They are called microbrews because their operations are so small compared to the large breweries that brew thousands of gallons a day."

Leto and Andreas were overwhelmed to hear that anyone would ever brew so much beer or ale. "How many people actually live here in Denver or in your world in general?" Andreas asked.

"Well we've got over seven billion worldwide, I think we're around 350 million in the United States and Colorado…hang on let me look that up," Henry said, bringing out his phone and tapping the screen a few times. "Colorado has 5.3 million, with only 650,000 living in Denver."

Andreas knew this city was impressive but was shocked to know how many people actually lived here. "There are more people in your United States than are in all of Thedas," Andreas remarked with wonder.

They walked several blocks and overall the people around them seemed friendly and happy. They saw many couples holding hands and Andreas couldn't resist entwining his fingers with Leto's. Leto looked over at Henry and asked, "Is it ok that we do this here?" he indicated at their linked hands.

"Oh, sure. With this many people around, no one would dare attack," Henry said. "Although you may still get some insults."

As if to make a point someone from across the street yelled "Fags!"

"I take it that 'fags' is some kind of insult?" Leto asked.

"Yeah, it's the word people use to insult gay men," Henry explained.

"Gay?" Andreas asked. "In Thedas that word means happy or joyous."

"Yeah, it used to mean that here too, but it was used as an insult against gay men," Henry clarified, "but then the gay community adopted the word for themselves and so it's not really much of an insult anymore."

When they arrived at the pub Henry was taking them to, they pushed through the crowds of people until Henry waved at a large booth of people near the back of the place. Between the music and the crowd, it was very difficult to hear anything and Leto's ears twitched in discomfort. He may not be in Thedas anymore, but he was still an elf.

Henry introduced Andreas and Leto to his friends, Derrick, John, Dave and Chris, who all stared at them with open mouths.

"Wow, you two…are you really them?" Derrick asked, pushing up a pair of glasses on his nose. "Are you really Anders and Fenris?"

Andreas nodded. "Those are the names we used to be known by, yes. I take it you are also familiar with Thedas through the game called Dragon Age?"

"Heck yeah, it's like my favorite video game of all time." Derrick. "Do you know why Fenris' markings went black?"

"All we know is that all traces of magic and the Fade did not come through with us into this world. That included the lyrium in Leto's skin," Andreas offered. "It actually caused Leto much pain when we first arrived here."

Henry ordered a pitcher of ale and something called nachos when the waitress came around, clearly familiar with Henry and his friends. "Who are the two newcomers?" she asked.

"Cindy, meet my two newest friends, Andreas and Leto," Henry said as introduction.

"Hi boys. Nice tats there Leto," Cindy said with a smile. Leto only nodded, not appreciating compliments over his markings.

They spent the rest of the evening answering Henry's friends many questions. Apparently they all were familiar with Dragon Age and were excited to actually meet two of their favorite characters 'in real life.' The ale was excellent, much better than the swill served at the Hangman, and the Nachos were delicious, as was all food they'd sampled in this world so far.

Andreas was never one to be shy and he sat with one arm draped over Leto's shoulders, holding him close. Henry's friends seemed scandalized for a moment over that, until Henry spoke up. "See, I told you! They're a couple and have been almost since coming through the Eluvian into our world."

"Yeah, wow the Fenders fan-fic writers would have a field day with this!" John said with a laugh.

Several hours later, Henry dropped Andreas and Leto off at their apartment and asked if they'd like to join them again the following week. "It's a weekly tradition for us to go for beer and nachos after a long week at work. We'd love it if you'd both join us," Henry said as invitation.

Leto and Andreas both nodded. "Yeah we'd like that too," Andreas said.

Once alone in the apartment, Leto took no time to look sternly at Andreas, giving him a firm command. "Strip."

"Hey we just got home, give me a moment," Andreas said with a wink, making Leto growl. Andreas sauntered to the bathroom, grinning the entire way. Once he was done he came back out, still fully clothed. "So what was that you wanted me to do again?" Andreas asked teasingly.

"You heard me the first time. Now comply or it will go worse for you," Leto said with a growl.

Leto noted the excited shiver that ran through Andreas at his words, as he began to strip as instructed.

Leto then sat, fully clothed, on the edge of the bed, the belt once again in his hand. "Come here Andreas. Over my knee," Leto instructed.

"Oh, have I been a bad boy again, Love?" Andreas teased as he draped himself willingly over the elf's knee.

Leto firmly clamped Andreas' legs between his own, and wrapped his arm around his torso.

"You mocked me today after I specifically asked you not to, Amatus." Leto stated calmly. "You must be punished for your insolence, yet again. First I will strap you soundly until I am satisfied you are truly sorry. Afterwards I will fuck your throat. You _will not_ cum tonight. Is that understood?"

"Wait, why not? It's not fair if you get to cum." Andreas whined.

"That will be part of your punishment tonight, and if you complain again, the strapping will be worse for you," Leto said coolly. "You are mine. You have given yourself to me. You will learn to respect me, Amatus."

With that, Leto commenced the punishment. He didn't begin softly as last time, trying to create arousal in Andreas. The strap came down hard and stinging from the very first blow. Andreas screamed at the pain and tried to wiggle free, to cover his ass with his hands. That prompted Leto to grab his hands and twist them behind his back, holding them firmly in his grip before continuing. He rained down several quick blows, turning Andreas' arse a bright red, causing the man to cry out. Then Leto returned to a more measured rhythm, punctuated with Andreas' cries, slowly turning into sobs.

"Leto…please…" Andreas managed to get out between sobs.

"Please, what?" Leto asked, landing another hard blow.

"Please…stop…I'm sorry. I am…I'll never call you _mother_ again…please!" Andreas choked out between sobs as the blows kept coming.

"Please, what?" Leto asked again.

"Please…sir! Please, sir, stop!" Andreas begged.

"You have your word, you can use it at any time," Leto reminded him, continuing to punish Andreas' arse. "Or you will take your punishment until I am satisfied."

All of a sudden all the fight went out of Andreas, and he resigned himself to his fate, taking the blows as they came, sobbing softly through the ordeal. He could use his word any time, but something within him didn't want to. He wanted to show Leto how much he respected and trusted him..

A few more blows rained down after that and finally Leto stopped, dropping the belt from his grip.

"Good boy," Leto purred, as he let Andreas go.

Andreas knelt at Leto's feet, taking a moment to catch his breath. Despite the pain of the punishment, his erection was rock hard and aching. He struggled within himself to avoid just wrapping his hand around it and stroking himself to the release he so desperately needed.

Leto then stood up over him, stroking his hair before reaching down and releasing his own hard cock from his jeans. "Open."

Andreas obeyed, opening his mouth and taking in Leto's cock. Leto held his head still, slowly sliding his cock all the way down Andreas' throat, feeling the man swallow around his cock. "Don't forget to breathe when I pull out."

Then Leto fucked Andreas' throat in earnest, pounding into the man's mouth, his balls slapping obscenely against his chin. He pulled back for a moment, letting Andreas get a deep breath, before sliding forward again, continuing to pound hard. Then with a strangled cry, the elf was coming down Andreas' throat, who swallowed it all greedily.

"Good boy," Leto said again, praising his lover. "Come," he commanded, helping Andreas up and leading him to the shower. Leto took care to wash himself and then Andreas very thoroughly, before leading him back to the bed. Leto pulled down the covers and instructed Andreas to lie down on his stomach.

Leto then took the salve he had used before and gently caressed Andreas' bruised and punished backside, rubbing the salve to sooth the worried flesh.

"Please, sir," Andreas managed to whisper.

"What is it?" Leto asked.

"Please, sir. Let me come, sir." Andreas practically whined in frustration.

"No. And if you disobey me in this I will not touch you other than for punishment for a week," Leto said firmly. "Now, go to sleep."

Andreas sighed heavily and rolled over onto his side, pulling the covers over himself. "Yes, sir. Goodnight, sir."

Leto smiled at that. Perhaps there was hope for this man that he loved after all.


	12. What I Need

The next morning Leto awoke to soft lips peppering kisses on his forehead. He looked up into the warm, amber eyes of his lover.

"G'morning," Andreas said sleepily. "Sleep well, _sir_?"

Leto was about to say something when Andreas covered his mouth with his, the man's tongue sliding over his lips, seeking entrance. Leto sighed into the kiss and parted his lips, letting his tongue dart out and caress his lover's tongue. They kissed languidly for several minutes, before Andreas took Leto's hand and slid it down between them until he felt Andreas' still hard length.

"Please, sir. May I cum?" Andreas begged softly, a warm smile crossing his face, and a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

Leto regarded the man for a moment before responding, with a smirk. "Since you are begging so politely today, _human_ , I think that can be arranged."

Kissing Andreas again, he pulled the man on top of him so that Andreas was straddling his slender elven hips. Leto pulled back from the kiss and whispered into Andreas' ear. "Since you bore your punishment last night so well, I would have you take me. Would you like that, _Amatus_?"

Andreas' eyes went wide for a moment, not expecting something like this. "Oh yes, my love. If you wish it."

"I do wish it. I want to feel you inside me, _Amatus_ ," Leto said, his voice now thick with lust. He reached for the lube on the nightstand and handed it to Andreas. "Prepare me."

Andreas didn't need to be told twice as threw off the covers from them both and settled down between Leto's legs. He slicked up his fingers and slowly massaged Leto's tight pucker, feeling it relax before he slowly slid one finger into elf's tight heat.

"Tell me, Love. Tell me how you want me to take you," Andreas said quietly.

"I want to see your face, Amatus, when you take me," Leto's voice rumbled. "Take me slow, make love to me."

Andreas slowly inserted a second finger, causing the elf to moan. "Is that how you dreamed of me taking you, back in Kirkwall?"

Leto gasped as Andreas began scissoring his fingers, stretching his hole. "Ah…yes…yes…I did. I would lie awake at night longing for your touch. I was loathe to admit it. I hated myself for it, but I…I couldn't stop."

Andreas leaned down and kissed Leto softly, full of tenderness. "We were both such fools, but now we have the time to make up for it."

A third finger was slowly added, stretching the elf wider, causing him to arch his hips off the bed and moan wantonly. "Mmm…are you ready for me, my love?"

"Yes, Andreas. Yes. Please, take me," Leto groaned. "I want to feel you inside me. Please."

"Mmm you beg so beautifully," Andreas murmured as he pulled out his fingers, causing Leto to keen in disappointment. Taking the lube he slicked his turgid length. "I will try to go slow, Love, but I've been aching for release…"

The elf nodded in understanding, pulling Andreas down into a heated kiss as Andreas slowly slid inside him. He hadn't let anyone take him, not since Danarius. The rape and abuse was now years behind him and he'd slowly gotten himself over it through his many fantasies of Andreas making love to him. Back in Kirkwall he had felt a burning shame for such fantasies, dreaming of yet another mage taking him.

However, Andreas had shown so much trust in him over the past couple of weeks, it served to increase Leto's trust in return. It helped that Andreas was no longer a mage, and would never be a mage again. Instead of shame, all he felt was a burning desire for this man.

Once Andreas was fully inside, he cupped Leto's face, bringing him back to the present moment. "Love, look at me, focus on me."

Leto focused back on Andreas as his body adjusted to the pleasant intrusion. He never had a chance before to enjoy the feeling of fullness, to allow his body time to adjust and it felt so good. Better than he had imagined. Better than he remembered.

Then Andreas began to move, slowly gliding almost all the way out and then back in. The slow, languid motions nearly drove Leto over the edge.

"So… _good_ ," Leto rasped.

Andreas smiled and leaned in to kiss Leto sweetly at those words. "Good. I want this to feel good for you. I just want to make you feel so good, my Love."

Leto nearly cried at the tenderness Andreas was showing him, as he kept gliding in and out slowly, his warm amber eyes focused entirely on him, peppering him with soft, sweet kisses. The pace was almost agonizingly slow, but it was exactly what he needed. He felt every inch of Andreas as he slid in and out again and again, rolling his hips.

Leto knew this pace must be agonizing for Andreas, who had been denied his released the night before and knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up for very long. Leto was impressed with how much self-control Andreas was showing.

"Faster, _Amatus_ , please, go faster," Leto whispered, looking at Andreas' expression as it reflected both pleasure and the strain of holding back.

Andreas groaned as he began to move faster. "I…I can't last much longer, Love."

Leto began to stroke his own erection in time with Andreas' thrusts, very near the edge himself now. "Cum for me, _Amatus_ ," he breathed.

With that Andreas threw his head back, his golden hair showering around him as he held a silent scream, thrusting one final time into Leto before coming completely undone, shuddering and spilling his seed deep inside the elf.

Seeing the look of absolute ecstasy on his lover's face, and feeling the warm spill of seed inside of him pushed Leto over the edge, and he was pumping thick, white spurts all over his hand and stomach.

Andreas was panting, trying to catch his breath, as he slowly lowered himself next to Leto, slowly slipping his flagging erection out of the elf.

Leto grabbed some tissues from the night stand and cleaned himself up before curling into Andreas' embrace, kissing him tenderly. "Thank you, _Amatus_."

"I should be thanking you, Love," Andreas said with a warm smile. "That was incredible. I haven't made love that way in a very long time. It was always a rare treat for me."

"No one has ever made love to me with such care or tenderness," Leto confessed. "Thank you for eradicating some of my worst memories."

"It was my pleasure, Love," Andreas replied, kissing Leto on the tip of his nose.

They lay cuddled together in companionable silence for a while. After a while, Leto looked over at Andreas, with a questioning look on his face.

"What is it, Love? You seem troubled?" Andreas asked, reaching over and brushing some of Leto's snow white hair out of his face.

"I was just wondering…why do you seem to enjoy my punishments so much? You've been so turned on by them," Leto asked.

Andreas blushed. "Well…I guess it's just one of my…kinks. The sting of the strap becomes this delicious tingle and spread of heat on my skin. For me it's…quite arousing."

"Yet you cry and sob as well, which confuses me," Leto continued. "When Danarius punished me that way, I cried in pain and humiliation. It never aroused me. Then again unless he willed it with magic, nothing aroused me."

Andreas leaned up on one elbow, looking down at his lover. "I cry because when I finally let go, and give in and accept the punishment for what it is, it's like a release valve for me. All my bottled up emotions just drain out of me. It's cathartic."

"I always fought my punishments from Danarius…I never had such a reaction to them," Leto admitted. "I didn't want to let him break me."

"This isn't about becoming broken, for me, it's about being able to let go and be made whole again," Andreas explained. "I think it works for me because of how much I love and trust you. I think you didn't have that with Danarius."

Leto shook his head. "No. I once thought I loved him, as a slave loves his master, craving his praise, but it was a false emotion. The love I feel for you is so much more…it's real and makes what I had felt for Danarius pale in comparison."

Leto blushed and began to look nervous as he pondered his next request from his lover. He stuttered nervously as he tried to ask. "I…I am curious. You say the strappings I give you are cathartic. I wonder…maybe…"

Andreas smiled down with a clear smirk on his lips. "Are you asking me to spank you Leto?"

"Um…yes. I think so. I…am curious…about the sensations you described."

"Hmm. I think that can be arranged, Love." Andreas said with a mischievous grin. "First, let me use the bathroom and we can talk about it, alright?"

When Andreas returned he sat on the bed next to Leto, who was still looking decidedly nervous and completely vulnerable. So different from when he was in his more dominant mode.

"So tell me, Love. What exactly would you like me to do?" Andreas asked softly.

Leto sat up and took a deep breath. "I…would have you take me over your knee, and spank me. With your hand. Show me how it feels for you."

Andreas smiled comfortingly. "I can do that. Do you want to try this now?"

Leto nodded. "Yes."

"Well, then get your sexy little elf behind over here and get over my knee," Andreas said light-heartedly.

Leto's heart was pounding in his chest, but he also felt a new stirring in his loins at just the thought of being bent over Andreas' knee, and it set shivers up his spine. He cautiously draped himself over the man's knee, and let out a deep breath.

Andreas began by just softly massaging the elf, helping to relax. "Don't worry, we'll take this very slow, Love. I don't want to bring back any bad memories with this, alright?"

Leto nodded, burying his face in the covers on the mattress.

"First I think you will also need a word, just in case." Andreas said.

Leto thought for a moment. "Danarius."

Andreas chucked at that. "Yeah, that's perfect. In case I do bring back memories if you're saying that name, or 'Master,' I'll know I need to stop."

Leto nodded again.

Andreas then raised his hand and swatted Leto on his upturned arse. One single, sharp slap. Leto let out a small cry of shock at the contact. "There, feel how that sting becomes a tingle and then becomes a spreading warmth?"

Leto nodded again.

"Does it feel pleasant?" Andreas asked.

"Yes," Leto admitted.

"Shall I do a few more?"

"Yes," Leto said emphatically.

Andreas raised his hand again, keeping to the same amount of force, but this time spanked five times repeatedly, alternating between each butt cheek.

"Hmm. You're getting a lovely pink glow now. Do you feel the spreading heat?" Andreas asked, gently massaging Leto's reddening arse.

Leto nodded. "Yes. This doesn't feel at all like what I expected."

"Would you like to continue, Love? More with my hand, or would you like to see how the strap feels?" Andreas asked calmly.

"Yes, try once with the strap, so I can compare," Leto nodded, noting the tingles had traveled down to his loins and was already half-hard again.

Andreas bent over to retrieve the belt from the floor, the one that Leto had been using as a strap. "Now this will sting a lot more when it lands, but the tingle and heat will also be more intense."

Andreas landed a single blow from the strap onto Leto's arse, watching a darker red welt form. Leto cried out at the sharp pain, and then groaned at the more intense sensations that followed, his cock now fully hard. He had begun to understand why Andreas found this treatment so…appealing.

"Feels good, doesn't it Love?" Andreas said, caressing Leto's arse gently.

Leto nodded. Then took several deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves for his next request. "Amatus, please…please punish me as I punished you last night. Please," Leto begged.

"Sit up a moment, look at me. Why do you feel you need punishment, Love?" Andreas asked, cupping his lovers face gently.

"For…for all the horrible things I said to you back in Kirkwall. They were…unjust…and untrue," Leto admitted. "I…never viewed you as an abomination…I understood the difference between spirits and demons. I was just not willing to let you see how much I wanted you, so it was easier to make you believe I hated you."

"And you want me to punish you for that, Love? Are you sure?" Andreas asked gently.

Leto draped himself back over Andreas' knee, presenting his arse for the strap. "Yes. Please. Let me know the kind of emotional release you were telling me about."

"Alright, just remember your safe word and use it if this gets to be too much. I will stop immediately and I won't question why," Andreas agreed.

Leto nodded and twined his hands into the covers on the bed, preparing himself for what was to come.

Andreas then laid on the strap, assuming a regular rhythm, letting enough time pass between blows for some tingle and heat to spread across the elf's skin. Andreas knew the signs to look for, if Fenris went into distress, or, preferably let go as he was hoping to do.

At first the pain was tolerable. Leto hadn't been a warrior for all these years without experiencing his fair share of pain. Slowly the heat began to build, as did the sharp sting of the strap, blending together. Leto began to cry out at each blow, tears beginning to crest. Andreas continued, unrelenting, and slowly Leto began to let go of his emotions. Finally it felt like a damn had burst, and heavy sobs began to wrack his body. He cried for the loss of his childhood memories. He cried over the injustice of his slavery. He cried over the lives he had taken at Danarius' command. He cried for every mean, nasty thing he had ever said to the mages that had shown him kindness. Finally he cried for how he had treated Andreas for all those years.

The blows of the strap continued until Leto's sobs began to ebb and his body became a limp rag over Andreas' knee. Then Andreas stopped, dropping the belt to the floor, and gathering the elf into his arms, soothing him with loving reassurances.

Leto was completely wrecked and Andreas gently laid him onto the bed and went to retrieve the salve. He gently caressed Leto's reddened and welted flesh, rubbing the salve in to help reduce the heat and potential bruising.

After that, Leto drifted off into a peaceful slumber, sleeping well into mid-morning. He was awakened by the smell of coffee and bacon coming from their tiny kitchen. He got up and padded over towards Andreas, wrapping his arms around his half-naked form, peppering kisses on his back. "Thank you."

Andreas turned around and kissed him tenderly. "You're welcome. I was glad I was able to help you through that. Want some breakfast?"

"Yes, please, I'm famished," Leto said eagerly, clearly in a much better mood.

As they sat together at the table enjoying their breakfast, Leto reached out and held Andreas' hand. "Now I understand. Thank you for sharing that experience with me, _Amatus_."

"Anytime, Love. I'll never do that unless you wish it of me, but feel free to ' _punish_ ' me as often as you like," Andreas said with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

Leto hardened his look, but kept a mischievous twinkle in his eye nonetheless. "If you keep mocking me, you know I will have to."

Andreas intoned with a slight chuckle. "Yes, sir!"

"So what shall we do today, Amatus?" Leto asked.

"I was using this Internet thing on my phone the other day and saw that they have something called a museum here in Denver," Andreas said. "Apparently it's dedicated to the sciences. Since they have no magic here, science and technology have taken root. I would like to learn more about the science of this world. Would you come with me?"

"That sounds interesting. How far is it?" Leto asked.

"If I am using this one 'app' correctly, it's about a one hour walk from here. It would feel good to stretch my legs," Andreas replied.

"Indeed," Leto agreed.

The two made their way towards the museum and spent the rest of the day exploring all the exhibits and even viewing an amazing thing called an IMAX movie that showed monstrous creatures from Earth's past, called dinosaurs. They were even larger and more terrifying than the dragons on Thedas, and both Andreas and Leto were grateful these creatures no longer existed in this world. Even with Hawke's entire Kirkwall crew, they doubted they could fell even one such beast.

On the way back home they stopped at a restaurant selling pizza and had dinner, including enough to take home as 'left overs.' They discussed all the amazing things they had seen at the museum while they ate. Perhaps this wasn't the same magic as was known in Thedas, but so many things in this world still seemed magical to them.

"Have you considered perhaps contacting this 'BioWare' and letting them know of our existence?" Leto asked. "Perhaps they could help us understand more about how we came here?"

"I'm not sure. I wouldn't want them to send us back," Andreas replied. "Why don't we call Henry tomorrow and ask him?"

"That's a great idea," Leto agreed.

That night Leto made love to Andreas, slow and sweet, showing him the same care and tenderness Andreas had shown him that morning. They both felt the bond between them growing stronger, as their trust and love for each other deepened.

They fell asleep happy and sated in each other's arms.


	13. Hanging with Henry

Waking up tangled in elf was becoming one of Andreas' favorite things. They had grown very close, very quickly. It began because of Leto's need of familiarity in this strange world, but there had been affection there even before they had been pulled here through the eluvian. They both had just been too stubborn to admit it. Andreas wondered if they would have ever been given a chance to get close if they had remained in Kirkwall. Andreas guessed probably not, and that thought alone made him so grateful that they had both agreed to help Merrill on that fateful day.

Andreas smiled down at the sleepy elf in his arms and bent down to gently kiss him awake. Once Leto began responding to the kisses, Andreas was already hard and eager again. Sleepy morning sex on the weekends was becoming another one of Andreas' favorite things to do.

Once sated, Andreas lay stretched out on his side next to Leto, leaning against his one elbow, stroking the elf's cheek with his other hand.

"I love you so much," Andreas whispered. "I can't seem to say that enough."

Leto looked up at him with affection. "Please, never stop saying it, _Amatus_. I love you too."

They took their time getting up, enjoying the unhurried nature of this world's weekend, a concept completely foreign to both of them. Back in Kirkwall, Andreas worked in his clinic every day of the week, except for the days he went out on missions with Hawke. Those missions were just a different kind of work.

After they finished their breakfast, they decided to give Henry a call.

"Hey Henry," Andreas said in greeting. "Leto and I were wondering if you'd like to hang out. We have some things we'd like to ask you."

 _"Sure, want to meet up for a late lunch?"_ Henry asked.

"Sounds good, where should we meet you?" Andreas queried.

 _"Have you guys tried Asian food yet? I know a great Asian fusion place that you both could walk to,"_ Henry suggested.

Henry shared the location and they agreed on a time to meet. It would take them a mere 30 minutes to walk so they had some time to kill before needing to leave. Still enjoying the newness of their relationship, they opted to make-out on the bed until it was time to go.

As much as they have been enjoying making love, _and other kinky things_ , with each other, they also discovered they also loved to just kiss and snuggle as well. Andreas was always a snuggler, and never was able to get enough of that back in his years in the Circle, but he was surprised to find that Leto also enjoyed snuggling as well, almost seeming to crave it. It was such a contrast to the more dominating side of his personality.

"Leto, yesterday you asked me why I find your _punishments_ so arousing," Andreas asked thoughtfully, "but what about you? You seem to get aroused by giving me those punishments. Have you ever done things like that before?"

Leto shook his head. "No. I was always on the receiving end of such treatment, and it certainly was never for my pleasure or arousal, as I told you." Leto furrowed his brow and frowned. "I think I find the power and control arousing. To control someone like that is … quite intoxicating."

Andreas nodded. "Mmhm I thought as much. It's the other side of the game. I enjoy giving up that control and giving it to you and you enjoy taking the control. It makes for a mutually beneficial arrangement."

"The irony is not lost on me that I am enjoying something that Danarius used to do to me," Leto frowned. "This doesn't make me like him, does it?"

Andreas pulled Leto into a tender embrace. "No, Love, because you are not forcing this on someone who is unwilling. That makes it a big difference between you and Danarius. He never asked you to pick a safe word. He never stopped no matter how much a slave begged him to. He was a heartless monster."

Leto nodded.

Andreas cupped Leto's face and turned it to look at him. "You are my lover and I trust you. I trust you to not go too far. I trust you to stop if I really need you to. I love you. I truly love you."

Leto's eyes welled with emotion. "I love you too, Amatus. Thank you for placing so much trust in me. I never want to truly hurt you. Please make sure you stop me if I ever go too far."

"Of course, Love."

As the time to leave approached they slowly got up and got ready, and headed out the door of their apartment, sharing one final quick kiss. They made their way to the restaurant in a decent amount of time and arrived just as Henry was walking up.

"Hey Henry, thanks again for inviting us out last Friday," Andreas said smiling.

"Thanks. My friends really liked you guys too," Henry said, "though they still aren't quite convinced you both aren't just a couple of really brilliant cosplayers."

They went into the restaurant and were quickly seated, although the hostess did look a bit uncomfortable around Leto, which just made him chuckle. He was glad that he still seemed intimidating.

Once again they let Henry order, and he proceeded to select several appetizers, to allow them to sample several different things. Strange sounding things like eggrolls, shumai and edamame.

"So, you said you wanted to ask me about some things. Is it about more things you are encountering in our world?" Henry asked.

"No, not exactly," Andreas replied. "The more I've been studying your world's herbology, comparing it to that of Thedas, it made me wonder about a number of things. We wanted your advice on perhaps contacting this company…BioWare…and seeing if they could help us understand how we could possibly exist in your world."

"You guys want to talk to the creators of Dragon Age?" Henry asked. "I doubt they'd have any idea of how it's possible for you to be here, but I bet they'd love to learn of your existence…assuming they believe you both aren't some crazy fans."

"Would you help us contact them?" Leto asked.

"Well, I have a better idea. Remember that ComiCon thing I was talking about? You missed the one in Denver, but the one in San Diego is happening in a few weeks and BioWare is sure to be there," Henry began. "Why don't we go out there and talk to them in person?"

"How far away is this…San Diego?" Leto asked.

"Well, too far to walk," Henry laughed, "We'd have to fly. It's like 1,100 miles from here."

"Fly? Do you mean in one of those giant metal dragons?" Andreas asked, nervously.

"Yes, you'd have to fly in a giant metal dragon, more commonly known as an airplane," Henry acknowledged. "I've always been meaning to go to the San Diego ComiCon, this gives me a great excuse."

"How long does it take to fly?" Leto asked.

"Just a few hours, depending on the route we take. No more than two or three," Henry said.

"Two or three hours over 1,100 miles?" Leto gasped. "How fast to these airplanes fly?"

"I think it's around 500 miles per hour," Henry explained.

"That's….amazing," Andreas said.

Then Henry frowned. "Oh wait, that might not work actually."

"Why not?" asked Leto.

"You don't have any ID, and you cannot go through airport security without it. It's the law." Henry explained.

"Well I know Miranda said she's working on getting IDs for us," Andreas offered.

"Well, unless they are official IDs, they won't work and the last thing you'd want is to be arrested with no identity on file. That could be disastrous," Henry cautioned. "Well, nothing for it…we'll have to drive! You guys up for a road trip instead?"

"How long will that take?" Andreas asked.

Henry pulled out his phone and tapped the screen a few times. "According to Google, about 15 hours," Henry said. "Hmm that's not too bad. I've done longer road trips than that before."

"So we won't need these IDs to drive across your land?" Leto asked.

"Nope, no IDs needed as long as I'm the one driving. Neither of you know how and you can't legally drive without an ID either," Henry explained. "Good thing I enjoy driving. I was just coming back from a road trip when I picked you guys up in the first place."

Andreas thought about it for a moment "What about our jobs while we're gone? I'll have the clinic up and running by then."

"Could you maybe train an assistant so you could take a couple of extra days off?" Henry suggested.

"That's a great idea," Andreas said grinning. "I always had a couple of helpers in my clinic in darktown and they often stepped in when I had to go off with Hawke on a mission. I'll ask Casey about it tomorrow."

"Are you excited to open the clinic?" Henry asked.

Andreas simply beamed at the question. "Absolutely. It will feel good to be helping people in a more meaningful way again."

Leto smiled at how happy Andreas seemed by the possibility of being able to heal people again, at least in some small capacity. Truth be told he was looking forward to training people in self-defense. Being more physically active would feel good after so many weeks of feeling idle.

The food finally arrived along with glasses of a beverage called 'sake.' Once again it was all delicious and Andreas and Leto enjoyed all the new flavors and textures of food. If nothing else, the food in this world was so varied and flavorful, so much better than the options they had back in Kirkwall.

Henry chuckled as his strange friends enjoyed their food. "So which dish do you guys like the best?"

"All of them!" they both responded, laughing when they both realized they had responded in perfect unison.

"You two are actually quite adorable together," Henry said, shaking his head. "I never would have thought it. I always argued against the Dragon Age players who kept saying you both had a lot of chemistry together in the game. I guess I completely missed it."

"You really never thought we'd get along?" Andreas asked. "I think I need to play this Dragon Age sometime so I can see what you've seen about us."

Henry nodded. "You'll need a gaming computer first, and an internet connection in your apartment. I'll call Miranda to see what they can do to hook you up with that. I think I mentioned that you both were featured in the second game, Dragon Age 2. The first one focused on the 'Hero of Ferelden' and the Fifth Blight, oh and they had an 'expansion of that game' where we first met you Andreas, when you were conscripted into the Grey Wardens. The newest version of the game is called Inquisition and it focuses on the aftermath of something Anders and Justice do in Kirkwall."

"You mean, if I had remained in Kirkwall, we do something…bad?" Andreas asked hesitantly.

"Yeah…very bad. Do you want me to tell you or do you want to find out for yourself?" Henry asked.

"Tell me now, please. I need to know what that…spirit…influences me to do. He was already starting to push me towards more extreme measures before we left," Andreas said sternly.

"Well, basically, you end up blowing up the Chantry in Kirkwall, big time. Lots of innocent lives are lost in the ensuing aftermath, and it caused the mages and Templars to go to war," Henry explained.

Leto growled upon hearing that information. "Andreas…how…how could you?!"

Andreas turned to Leto with a frightened look in his eyes. "Leto, I'm sorry, but I never did that. I wasn't even planning that when we left Kirkwall, I swear! It must be an idea Justice puts into my head sometime in the future. And Justice is gone now, I'm free of his influence. Please, Love, don't blame me for something I never did," Andreas pleaded.

Leto took a deep breath. "You're right, Amatus. Forgive me. I sometimes forget that… _spirit_ …is gone. But what justice does it serve to kill innocents?"

Andreas shook his head. "None. I guess I was right, that by merging with me Justice transformed into a spirit of Vengeance, which really did make him a borderline demon. Does the game show me merging with him?"

Henry shook his head. "No, the end of the expansion you either disappear or are found dead at Vigil's Keep. It surprised a lot of people when your character showed up again in the next game. They explained it away by saying you faked your own death and left a burnt corpse with your robes for them to find instead."

"Well I never did that. I guess I'm from whatever version it is where I decided to run away," Andreas mused aloud.

"So, how about we have some dessert?" Henry suggested

"Dessert?" Andreas asked.

"Yes, something sweet to eat after a meal," Henry replied. "I recommend the mochi balls here, they are delicious."

When the waitress came by they ordered one mochi ball in every flavor they had, cut into three pieces so they could all taste. There was green tea, red bean, mango, and strawberry. Leto seemed a bit put off that apple wasn't an option.

"You really do have an apple obsession, don't you?" Henry laughed.

"I'm not obsessed," Leto grumped. "I just happen to really enjoy apples, that's all."

Henry laughed again.

"What's so funny?" Leto grumped.

"You're being broody," Henry said, still chuckling. "It really is the most adorable thing I've ever seen. Varric was right, women would swoon and have broody babies in your honor."

Andreas laughed at that, remembering when Varric had said those words to Leto.

Leto glared at Andreas. "Do not push your luck, _human_."

Andreas couldn't wipe the smirk off his face, but he responded as soberly as possible. "Yes, _Sir_."

"Alright, I'm not sure I really want to know, but what _is_ going on between you two?" Henry asked. "First the hair pulling in my car Friday night, now the 'yes, sir'? You're not training Andreas to become your slave or something, are you?"

Andreas and Leto both blushed furiously. They hadn't meant to share that part of their relationship with anyone.

"Um, well…you see…"Andreas stammered. "I kind of like when Leto gets…authoritative."

It was now Henry's turn to blush. "Ah, ok, I think I got it."

An awkward silence followed until the dessert was delivered. No surprise, Andreas and Leto enjoyed these as well, marveling at the chewy exterior and the frozen, flavorful creamy interiors.

"So what do you two have planned for the rest of the day?" Henry asked.

Andreas and Leto looked at each other and shrugged. "We hadn't thought that far ahead. We did go to that science museum yesterday. That was fascinating!"

"Really? Did you see any of their IMAX movies?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, the dinosaur one. Made me glad that those creatures no longer exist. They seemed worse than dragons," Andreas said with a shudder.

"Yeah, in fact the remains of dinosaurs are probably what started the whole myth about dragons in the first place," Henry explained. "Dragons never really existed in our world, but people kept digging up bones from these really big, reptilian creatures. Then people just used their overactive imaginations to fill in the rest."

"There really is so much to learn yet about this world," Andreas said. "I could easily spend the rest of my life just reading and studying and never learn it all."

"You're hardly the only person to say that!" Henry laughed. "Would you two like to go shoot some pool with me?" Henry suggested. "It's a fun game and there's a place right around the corner from here."

"Is it anything like Wicked Grace?" Andreas asked.

"Uh no. It's not a card game. I think Poker would be closer to what you call Wicked Grace," Henry responded.

The trio headed around the corner to a bar with many large tables laid out. The place was largely empty, with only a few patrons sitting around the bar, drinking. The tables looked strange, with high sides and covered in cloth with what looked like nets on each corner and holes in the top leading to the nets.

Henry paid for one of the tables and was handed a tray with colored balls and he then led them over to one of the tables.

"So, this, my friends, is a pool table," Henry said as way of introduction. "And what I'm holding are the pool or billiard balls. Basically, the object of the game is to sink the colored balls into the pockets using the white ball."

"That seems pretty simple," Leto said.

"Wait, there are a few more rules," Henry said. "First, we have to put the balls into a triangle configuration," Henry demonstrated, racking the balls into the table and carefully removing the rack. "Now, one of us begins and 'breaks' that formation. If any balls go into the pockets, you get that type of ball, known as solids or stripes. Your opponent has to go after the other balls."

"And if you don't sink any on the break?" Andreas asked.

"Then the next person takes a turn and can aim for any ball he chooses," Henry explained. "This keeps going until the first ball is sunk. Now here are some of the tricky parts. First, you cannot sink the black 8 ball until last. If you sink it too soon, you automatically lose. If you sink the white ball, you forfeit your next turn and your opponent gets to place the ball strategically behind these two points on the table. Finally, you have to call out which pocket you're aiming for and if you miss, your opponent gets the next turn."

"Alright, I think I understand," Leto nodded, going to grab the white ball in his hand and aiming it.

"Wait!" Henry shouted. "There's one more thing."

Henry walked over to the wall where there appeared to be several long, polished wooden staves propped up. He selected three of them and handed one to each.

"We have to hit the white ball with these, they are called cues, pool cues," Henry explained. "Let me demonstrate."

Henry then took the white ball from Leto and placed it on the table, and then leaned over the table and aimed his cue at the white ball. With a swift, sure motion he hit the white ball and it went speeding towards the others, hitting the first one with a resounding _crack_. The rest of the balls scattered and two went into pockets.

"So that's how you break," Henry exclaimed. "Hmm seems like I got both a stripe and a solid, which means it's my choice which side I want. And I get another turn! Do you both want to team up against me or do you want take turns, one of you playing now, and the other playing the winner?"

"Since we're new to this game, let's team up," Andreas suggested. "Is that alright with you, Love?"

"Yes, that is acceptable, Amatus. As long as I get to go first," Leto said firmly.

"Yes, Love, that's fine," Andreas agreed.

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing, Leto clearly showing a higher degree of skill than Andreas, who kept fumbling the cue and missing his shots. Andreas complained that he was better at twirling a staff than he was at using it to hit things with precision, doing a quick demonstration with his pool cue. Henry was impressed, but told Andreas not to do that in public too often.

Afterwards they parted company and Leto and Andreas headed back home. They still had pizza left over from the day before that they planned to heat for their dinner, along with some beer that Henry had helped them purchase.

Soon they were snuggled next to each other on the bed in just their underwear, watching TV. They kept trying to make sense out of the things kept seeing on their favorite news channel, everything from terrorists raping and killing innocents in some place called 'the middle east,' to some man who appeared to be famous, announcing that he was going to become a woman.

"Alright, I know Henry keeps telling us that everything in this world is done through science and technology and that there is no such thing as magic, but how in the world can a man transform into a woman without blood magic?" Andreas remarked. "I'm going to have to ask Henry about that one!"

"I think I've seen enough of this 'news,'" Leto grumbled.

"What else did you have in mind, Love?" Andreas waggled his eye brows.

"I'm trying to decide on a fitting punishment for your transgression earlier," Leto said with a wicked smile.

Trying not to grin widely, Andreas immediately moved himself into a position of supplication, kissing Leto's bare feet. "I am at your command, Sir."

"I think you enjoy this far too much, Amatus," Leto said chuckling.

"You enjoy it too, Love, admit it," Andreas said sitting up. "Now are you going to smack my naughty ass, or what?" Andreas said, turning around and waggling his rear at Leto.

Leto pounced on Andreas, tackling him to the mattress, causing the larger man to yelp in surprise. Then Leto decided exactly what Andreas' punishment should be, and he began to viciously tickle the man under him, causing him to scream and laugh. Leto was laughing too and the two tussled on the bed for several minutes until Leto had Andreas pinned under him, his arms held in a firm grip above his head.

They both breathed heavily for several minutes before Leto descended on Andreas for a bruising kiss. "Who do you belong to?" Leto purred into Andreas' ear.

"I belong to you, Love. Only you," Andreas said with a loving smile.

They spent the rest of the night making love, enjoying each other's bodies and professing their love for each other with each moan, gasp and scream.


	14. Reopening Old Wounds

Monday dawned bright and early. Too early for Leto's liking. Andreas was already up, puttering around the kitchen, the smell of fresh coffee brewing wafting through their tiny apartment.

"How are you always so Maker-damned perky in the morning?" Leto grumbled.

"I get to open my new clinic today, Love." Andreas shrugged, giving Leto a quick peck on the lips as he handed his lover a cup of coffee.

"Ah yes, that explains your nervous excitement," Leto said, yawning. He took a long drink of the coffee, savoring the rich flavor. Why hadn't he ever drank coffee back in Kirkwall? It would have made his mornings so much better.

"I am excited to help people who really need it, but I am nervous that there will be someone who requires more healing than I am able to offer. I know you're happy I'm not a mage anymore…but I do still miss my magic," Andreas sighed.

Leto got up and set his coffee down, drawing Andreas into a tender embrace. "I know, _Amatus_. You truly were an example of how magic can serve man, without ruling over him. I am sorry the loss of it upsets you."

Andreas gave Leto a quick kiss. "Thanks, Love. You seem to have a knack of knowing the right thing to say to make me feel better."

Andreas then turned his attention back towards the kitchen. "Today I thought I'd try making something I heard was a popular breakfast in this land, eggs and bacon."

"It smells delicious," Leto said. "How are you preparing the eggs?"

"I am making them in a style they call over-easy," Andreas explained. "I hope you like them that way."

Leto did approve of the eggs and he really enjoyed the salty, smoked flavor of the bacon.

Once breakfast was finished, Andreas rushed to dress as he was more eager than usual to get work.

As they walked along towards the mission, Leto explained again his plans for his self-defense class that week. He was giving two 1-hour sessions on Tuesday and again on Thursday. He made Andreas promise to make time to attend at least one class that week, or suffer the consequences.

Andreas smirked, but responded seriously. "Yes, sir."

Leto went off to help in the kitchen while Andreas went to open his new clinic. He had everything prepared by the time he left on Friday so all he had to do was open the clinic and start seeing anyone of the needy or homeless that required medical attention.

Not unexpected, based on Andreas' experience with his darktown clinic in Kirkwall, he had quite a steady stream of patients with all manner of illnesses. Many of them were simple enough; bumps and scrapes, a few pulled muscles or twisted ankles. He had to set a couple of broken bones and some of the salves he made from the herbs Miranda had provided proved useful for a few people with scrapes or odd rashes.

There were a few cases that Andreas wasn't able to treat because he didn't have the proper salve for it, but promised to work on them within the next day or two, and he made note of the herbs he was lacking so that hopefully Miranda could provide them.

Miranda checked in with Andreas late that afternoon to see how the first day was coming along.

"I hear you've been keeping busy," Miranda said cheerfully as she entered the small clinic while Andreas was bandaging the knee of a young boy.

"Miranda! Yes, there has been a non-stop stream of people today," Andreas smiled in greeting. "It feels really good to be helping people again."

"Have you taken a break to eat at all?" Miranda looked concerned.

"Oh yes. Leto brought me lunch and made me take a break with him earlier," Andreas replied. "He remembers how I used to go without food or a break for too long at the last clinic I ran, and he's making sure I don't do that again."

"Good," Miranda said. "I don't want you to become your own patient. How are your supplies holding up?"

"Pretty well, but I've been making a list of things I'll need more of, and a list of additional herbs that I could use," Andreas nodded towards his desk before turning back to his young patient. "Now try to avoid jumping off of swings at playgrounds from now on, alright Thomas?"

"My name is Tommy!" the child said indignantly.

"Alright Tommy, do you understand?" Andreas smiled at him.

"Alright. Yes doctor," Tommy said reluctantly.

Andreas turned to the child's mother. "He should heal up with no scar. He'll be good as new within the week."

"Thank you Doctor Bauermann," the mother said gratefully.

"Please, just call me Andreas."

That evening it was all Andreas could talk about was his day in the clinic. He talked about all his patients and their various injuries and illnesses all the way home, and continued jabbering for at least an hour before Leto decided it was time to put a stop to it.

"Enough, _Amatus_ ," Leto growled, pushing Andreas back on the bed. "I am pleased you are so enthusiastic with your clinic, but I do not need to know the intimate details of every patient you see each day."

To emphasize his point Leto kissed Andreas before he could speak a word of protest.

Andreas smiled up at Leto. "Well, when you put it that way…"

Andreas flipped them over so Leto was on his back, and Andreas captured the elf's mouth in a deeper kiss. "Love you so much, Leto," Andreas breathed as he kissed Leto along his jaw and up towards his sensitive elven ear, causing Leto to moan at the touch.

"So, tell me, what do you plan on teaching in your class tomorrow?" Andreas asked as he continued kissing Leto's skin just below his ear.

Leto growled and flipped Andreas back around. "Just some basic self-defense moves, like preventing me from taking advantage of you, silly human."

"But I like when you take advantage of me, silly elf," Andreas smirked.

"Would you like it if someone else tried to?" Leto asked. "This world is in many ways more dangerous than Thedas. I would have you be safe. I cannot always be there to protect you."

"I know, Love," Andreas said, reaching up to cup Leto's face. "I never want anything bad to happen to you either."

"Good."

Leto continued to stare down into his lover's eyes, getting lost in thought, thinking about how it would feel to use some of his practiced self-defense moves on his lover. Andreas began to make needy little sounds beneath him.

"Be still, _human_ ," Leto said with a slight growl, trying to hide a wicked smile.

Andreas immediately perked up at Leto's commanding tone a smirk forming on his lips. "Make me."

"My pleasure," Leto responded, moving swiftly. Leto sat up, pulling Andreas with him and pulling the larger man over his knees. He felt Andreas' cock harden on his lap as he maneuvered Andreas into position.

Leto pulled Andreas' jeans and underwear down off his still-too-slim hips and held the man in place firmly.

"This is not for punishment tonight, but because I love how beautiful your ass looks when it's all red and warmed. I know you enjoy this, but do not forget your watchword if you need it to stop," Leto stated simply.

"Yes, sir," Andreas nearly moaned, trying to remain still.

Leto's hand came down with a sharp smack on Andreas' ass, hard enough to leave a red imprint. Andreas let out a whimper and a moan before the next smack landed. Andreas began to push his ass up to eagerly meet the smacks raining down on his bare backside, almost mewling with pleasure.

"You really do like getting spanked, don't you," Leto growled, raining down more hard slaps. "Such a naughty human with such a beautiful red ass."

Leto kept up a fast, hard rhythm until he noted how Andreas was beginning to rut against his leg. He stopped, adjusting himself and Andreas so that the man he held across his lap had nothing to rut against.

"I didn't give you permission to pleasure yourself, _human_ ," Leto admonished. "Now you have earned a proper punishment."

Andreas moaned at the words, quivering with anticipation as Leto removed his belt.

"Raise your ass for me," Leto commanded and Andreas complied quickly.

Once Andreas was in place, Leto began raining down blows from his belt, hard and fast. Andreas cried out in pain and pleasure at the increased intensity. Once Andreas' skin was a nice, deep shade of red, Leto finally stopped, running his fingers over the now heated, tender flesh.

Leto repositioned Andreas so he was lying on his stomach on the bed and Leto then knelt behind his lover. "Spread your legs, ass up."

Leto bent down and spread apart Andreas' ass cheeks to view the tight pucker hidden within. He bent down and ran a swipe of his tongue over the tight ring, eliciting a deep moan from Andreas. The elf enjoyed the musky taste and began lick the area in earnest. Slowly he began to push his tongue past the ring of muscle and was soon thrusting his tongue in and out of the tight entrance, causing Andreas to writhe under his ministrations.

Leto then reached for the bottle of lube and coated his fingers with them and slowly began to insert one where his tongue was moments before.

"Do you like it when I fill your ass, human? Do you enjoy it when I take you and make you mine?" Leto growled, pushing in a second finger.

"Yes, sir. I love how possessive you are of me, sir," Andreas said with a genuine moan of pleasure.

Leto slid his fingers out and began stroking his cock with the lube. "I will take you now and I would hear you scream my name in pleasure."

Leto slowly sank his length into Andreas, their frequent lovemaking helping it to be a smooth slide.

"Fuck, your ass is so perfect. It's like it's made to be fucked, like it was made for me to fill it with my cock," Leto said through gritted teeth as he began to pound the man.

Andreas nearly came at hearing that beautiful, sonorous voice speak such filthy language. He certainly wasn't going to last much longer at the rate Leto was pounding into him.

"Touch yourself," Leto commanded, clearly getting close to the edge himself. Andreas gratefully complied, stroking his cock in time with Leto's thrusts. Andreas mewled as he kept himself just on the edge of cumming, knowing he had to wait for Leto's command. Leto thrust into him several more times before finally giving in.

"Cum for me. Let me know how much you love feeling my cock in your ass," Leto panted.

Andreas let go completely, screaming Leto's name in ecstasy as he came hard all over his hand and the blanket below him. As he clenched around Leto's cock, Leto stuttered and held himself still, cumming deep inside his lover. Andreas' moaned as he felt the cock inside his ass pumping hot seed deep within him.

They both collapsed next to each other, panting and sated.

Andreas looked over at Leto and rolled over to give him a tender kiss. "I don't think I'll ever grow tired of your dominating me in bed. That was…amazing, Love."

Leto chuckled. "Good. The sounds you make when I'm beating that fine ass of yours…they undo me every time."

"Love you, Leto," Andreas purred sleepily, curling himself around the elf.

"I love you too, Amatus," Leto responded, falling asleep in his lover's embrace.

"Shit!" Andreas shouted, startling Leto awake the next morning.

"What's wrong, Amatus?" Leto asked sleepily.

"We almost overslept and we didn't take a shower last night," Andreas said, his voice full of annoyance. "I'm still covered in my own cum from last night."

"Well we can't have that," Leto chuckled. "Come let's forgo our morning coffee and take a quick shower instead."

They showered quickly and dressed before heading to work. They were slightly behind their normal morning schedule and walked hurriedly, making it just a couple of minutes late. They both were apologizing profusely and Casey gave them some good-natured ribbing for acting so ashamed for being two minutes late.

Andreas then headed off to open the clinic for the day while Leto went off to set up for his first training class. He had asked Andreas to join the afternoon class he had planned.

Leto's morning class went better than he had expected. He was never comfortable being in front of people, but talking about fighting and defense helped calm his nerves. He put the small group of people through several basic moves they could use to defend themselves with, everything from blocking techniques to how to knock an attacker off their feet in order to run for help.

Miranda had provided him with floor mats in his small training room and he had his students practice some of what he taught them on each other as he walked around and helped each of them improve their technique. At the end of the class he was quite pleased with the progress he'd seen even the shyest of his students make.

After the class, Leto headed towards the kitchen for lunch, grabbing an extra bowl of the day's soup for Andreas, knowing he probably was too caught up in his work to stop and get lunch for himself. Heading towards the clinic, Leto passed several of his students who were heading towards the lunch line themselves and they all thanked him for a good lesson. Leto was in high spirits as he walked into the clinic.

The scene before Leto as he entered the small clinic made him drop the bowls of soup in his hands and rush to Andreas' aid. Andreas was being pushed over the edge of one of the cots in clinic, his jeans having been pulled down, exposing his ass. His arms were twisted painfully behind him and his mouth was stuffed with balled up bandages while a large man was holding him down, raping him.

Just before Leto attacked the large man he heard him snarl at Andreas. "You like that don't you, you fuckin' fag. You like taking cock up your ass. I'm gonna fuck the gay right out of you…"

In the next moment the rapist was being torn away from his victim and thrown up against a wall. Leto grabbed the man's hair and kneed him in his groin hard. "How dare you lay a hand on him," Leto screamed at the man. "You pathetic excuse for a human."

The startled man screamed in pain as Leto grabbed his still erect cock and squeezed it painfully, kneeing him again, even harder. Apparently the man wasn't accustomed to being assaulted and fainted dead away at the pain.

Leto immediately rushed to Andreas after letting the man slump to the ground. "Are you alright, Amatus?"

Andreas was shaking, but nodded his head as he pulled the bandages out of his mouth. "I'll be alright, Love. This is hardly the first time I've dealt with this sort of treatment. Although this will be the first time I won't be able to heal myself afterwards."

Leto noted the blood dripping out of Andreas' rear, fear running through him. "What can I do?"

"Grab the salve in the blue container. That will help with the pain," Andreas pointed at his shelves.

As Leto ran to grab the salve, Casey came running in after having heard the commotion from the kitchen.

"Oh my God!" Casey exclaimed. "What is going on in here?"

"Andreas was assaulted by that man," Leto indicated by pointing a finger. "I pulled him off and he fainted after I tried putting him in his place."

"That's one of Howard's buddies," Casey frowned. "I'm going to call 911."

"What's 911?" Leto asked as he headed back towards Andreas with the salve.

"It will alert the authorities and he will be arrested for assault and Andreas can get proper treatment at the hospital," Casey explained, pulling out his phone.

"Wait!" Andreas shouted hoarsely. "Is that wise to involve the authorities? We are…I think Miranda called it 'undocumented,' and we could get in trouble."

"Well Denver is a Sanctuary City," Casey said. "But you're right, we should be cautious. Let me tie up this big lummox so he doesn't cause more problems and then I'll call Miranda first."

Casey went off to find something to bind the large man with and Leto proceeded to take some gauze and water and cleaned up Andreas as best as he could before applying the salve.

"You need to apply the salve all the way inside, Love," Andreas said weakly.

"Yes, of course," Leto nodded and slowly worked the salve into Andreas with one finger, moving slowly to prevent further damage. "How is that?"

"Much better, it's already taking the edge off, thank you," Andreas replied, as he started to get up and pull his jeans and underwear back up. "Let me have a small stack of that gauze please."

Leto fetched the gauze and Andreas placed it into his underwear and pulled them up the rest of the way. "That's gonna hurt for a while, I'm not going to lie," Andreas quipped, trying to put on a brave face.

Leto wrapped his arms around his lover, trying to comfort him. Andreas finally let go and began to weep into Leto's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Love. I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry, Amatus? You did nothing wrong," Leto said quietly.

"I should have listened to you when you said I needed self-defense training," Andreas said. "I thought I knew how to defend myself, but without my magic…I am completely useless."

Leto held Andreas as he sobbed into his shoulder, letting out all his emotion.

Casey came back and saw Andreas and Leto locked together, and frowned. This shouldn't have happened under his watch. He made his way over towards the large man and deftly tied his hands and feet and hauled him over his shoulder and carried him over to his office, locking the man in.

Miranda arrived within the hour, rushing towards the clinic first to check on Andreas. Leto had him lying on his side on one of his cots, and was curled around him for comfort as the man continued to weep.

"Oh, my. Are you alright, Andreas?" Miranda asked, voice full of concern.

Andreas nodded weakly. Leto got up and took Miranda aside. "He was bleeding quite profusely, but with the aid of one of his salves and some gauze we think we've done as much as we can," Leto explained. "As for his emotional state, this isn't the first time he has been assaulted like this."

"Oh my goodness, that's…terrible," Miranda looked shocked. "What else can we do for him?"

Leto thought for a moment. "I think right now I just need to take him home and tuck him into bed. May I bring some medical supplies from the clinic with me?"

"Yes, of course, anything you need," Miranda said. "Let me talk to Casey about his attacker and then I'll drive you both home."

Miranda went off to talk to Casey while Leto helped Andreas get up. "Miranda is going to take us home how. Tell me what supplies I should bring so I can tend to your injuries."

Andreas told Leto the various things he would need and he packed them into a small bundle and then led Andreas out towards the front door of the mission. Word had spread of the assault and many of the people that had come to know the pair over the past several weeks came over to express their regrets and concern for Andreas.

Andreas had tried his best to wipe away his tears and he put on a brave face, smiling at all the people coming to support him. It felt good to know there were more good people than bad in this world, especially after an incident like this.

Miranda met them at the front door and Andreas laid himself into the back seat for the ride home, not willing to try and sit down right now.

"I think we should press charges," Miranda said as she drove. "But that can wait until tomorrow. Andreas should try and get as much rest as he can first."

Soon Leto had Andreas tucked into bed, after helping him clean and reapply the salve to his injuries again. A couple of hours later, a knock came to their door and Henry stood outside with a bag full of groceries in his arms.

"Miranda called and told me what happened," Henry explained. "I decided to stop and buy you guys some food since you may not wish to leave the apartment for a couple of days."

Leto nodded. "Yes, the assault was pretty bad. It also reawakened some of Andreas' past trauma and he's not dealing with it very well. I am very concerned."

Henry nodded. "It's not mentioned much in the game itself, but many players suspected that Andreas was being raped by the Templars at Kinloch Hold. I'm not surprised to find that part of his past was true."

Leto nodded. "He had mentioned the abuse in passing before, but I have never known the extent of it."

"Maybe get him to talk about it," Henry suggested. "It might help. In the meantime, I'll ask Miranda to hire some additional security to help keep Andreas safe during his clinic hours."

"Thank you Henry," Leto nodded. "I appreciate you looking out for us."

"I am so sorry this happened," Henry said. "We should have known that Howard would try something else again."

Henry went on his way and Leto put away the groceries he had brought and saw that he had included some soups. They hadn't eaten their lunch because of the assault, and they'd also skipped breakfast as well. Leto warmed up the soup and brought a bowl over to the bed where Andreas lay resting.

"Can you sit up and eat something, Amatus?" Leto asked softly.

Andreas nodded, sitting up carefully and putting a pillow underneath his injured rear. "Thanks, Love. Thanks for stopping him and thanks for taking care of me."

"Always, _Amatus_. I only wish I had come sooner," Leto said, handing Andreas the bowl of soup and getting up to get his own bowl before joining Andreas on the bed again.

"I heard you and Henry talking," Andreas said, looking down at his bowl. "I guess you want to hear about what happened with me at Kinloch Hold?"

"Only if you wish to tell me," Leto said, reaching out a hand to stroke over one of Andreas' hands.

"I…I probably should tell you. I've never really told anyone exactly what happened there," Andreas said.

Andreas began, recounting from the time he was torn away from his mother by the Templars and dragged all the way from the Anderfels to Ferelden. From the first the Templars he had encountered had heaped abuses on him, locking him in magic draining manacles and chains, taking perverted liberties with his body, despite being just a boy of twelve.

Once at Kinloch Hold, the abuses continued and was the main reason he kept escaping. Not all the mages were being abused, but apparently the prettier boys and girls were most often the victims of unnecessary Templar attention. Andreas' friend Karl had tried to help keep him safe, but the Templars separated them as soon as they discovered what Karl was trying to do.

After Andreas' sixth time being recaptured after an escape was the worst, when he was locked in 'solitary' confinement for an entire year. Unfortunately it hadn't been all that solitary, with the worst of the Templars visiting him often, beating and raping him repeatedly.

After his seventh escape he vowed to never be taken back to Kinloch Hold again. When the Templars that recaptured him yet again, dragged him to Vigil's Keep, he was once again about to be raped when the Darkspawn attack occurred, literally saving Andreas. He was so grateful he happily joined the Grey Wardens if it meant he could finally escape the Templars of Kinloch Hold once and for all.

As Andreas related the sordid details of his life at Kinloch Hold, Leto's eyes filled with tears, his heart aching for the man he loved.

"I will never, ever let another man touch you like that again," Leto swore. "Once you are recovered, you will allow me to teach you how to defend yourself."

Andreas gave him a weak smile. "Yes, Love. You will get no more arguments from me about that. Now come here and hold me, please."

"Gladly," Leto said, lying down and wrapping himself about Andreas, holding him close.


	15. Silver Linings

The next morning found Leto still holding Andreas close. The night was difficult, Andreas waking often with nightmares. Each time Leto soothed and calmed him back to sleep. Now the morning sun streamed into the window of their tiny apartment, and for a change Leto was the first to get up. He let Andreas sleep a bit longer, while he went to go make them some coffee.

Andreas rolled over and blinked sleepily when the aroma of coffee hit his nose. "G'mornin'," he drawled making to get up and wincing as soon as his bottom touched the mattress.

"Shh, Amatus. Stay in bed and rest," Leto came over and gently tried to guide his lover back into bed.

"No, Leto, help me up, please. I gotta piss," Andreas winced again as he tried again to get up. "Then I need you to apply that salve again."

"Of course," Leto nodded, helping to lift Andreas up with minimal pressure of his bottom to the mattress.

"I almost dread having to go take a shit later," Andreas tried to joke. "No, scratch that. I am dreading it."

Once Andreas was done peeing, Leto helped him get back into bed and he gently applied the salve where it was needed. Leto winced just seeing how damaged and raw Andreas' puckered hole was and didn't even want to think about the internal damage. The attacker had taken Andreas dry and rough, his victim completely unprepared for the assault.

It hurt Leto's heart to think someone would attack Andreas in such a manner. All Andreas had done since arriving in this world was to be kind and generous to everyone they'd met. It wasn't right that he'd have to suffer like this. It wasn't _just_.

Smirking at the irony, Leto actually regretted Andreas having been separated from Justice. The spirit would have protected Andreas when Leto wasn't there to do so. Leto sighed, realizing once again how much he had misjudged back in Kirkwall.

As Leto was handing Andreas a cup of coffee, there was a knock on the door. Leto went to answer it and outside stood Miranda, with two men in what Leto recognized as law enforcement uniforms.

"Leto, can we speak to Andreas? He needs to give the police a statement about the assault yesterday so we can press charges against his attacker," Miranda said.

"Is that wise?" Leto asked, hesitantly.

"Don't worry. Denver is a Sanctuary City and I have connections at the Police Department," Miranda said reassuringly. "I promise no harm will come to either of you."

Leto gestured for them to enter. "Andreas, these men are here to ask you some questions about the assault."

Andreas smiled weakly at them. "Please don't mind me not getting up."

"Not at all Mr. Bauermann," the first man said. "I'm Officer Hendricks, and this is my partner Officer Johnson."

Leto offered them a seat by pulling out two of the four chairs at their small table, while Leto opted to sit on the bed next to Andreas. Miranda chose to stand.

"I apologize if this is difficult, but we need to ask you to recount exactly what happened yesterday," Officer Hendricks said, pulling out a small pad of paper and a pen.

Andreas frowned for a moment and nodded. "I was seeing people in my small clinic yesterday, and sometime just before lunch a large man came in complaining of a scraped knee, from a fall."

"You run a medical clinic out of the mission?" Officer Hendricks asked.

"Well, it's very basic. I bandage cuts and scrapes mostly," Andreas explained.

The officer nodded. "Continue."

"Well I told him to take a seat on one of the cots and to roll up his pant leg so I could take a look," Andreas recalled. "I then went to grab some bandage rolls and a disinfectant salve I use for scrapes. It mostly contains golden seal along with some oils."

The officer nodded, continuing to write notes.

"Anyway I came back to the cot and put down the bandages, and that's when he grabbed me," Andreas recounted, a shiver going through him, causing Leto to take his hand for comfort. "He…he bent me over the cot and pulled down my jeans and underwear…and then he…raped me."

"I know this is difficult, but can you describe that in a little more detail?" Officer Hendricks asked.

"Um, Ok," Andreas nodded, taking a quick sip of his coffee. "He grabbed my arms and twisted them behind my back as he bent me over the cot. Then he…opened his pants and took out his penis. He held me down with one hand holding my arms, and with the other hand he held onto my hip and proceeded to insert his penis into my anus. He was dry, there was no lubrication and he was very rough. It caused a lot of tearing and damage and it…it hurt…a lot."

Andreas was now visibly shaking, recalling the details of the previous day's assault.

"Did you at any time tell him 'no,'?" Officer Hendricks asked.

"Yes, I begged him to stop, but then he just shoved some of the bandages into my mouth to gag me," Andreas replied.

"Did the assailant say anything to you?" Officer Johnson asked.

"Yes, he did," Andreas nodded. "He first said 'You faggots think you can just come in here and steal our jobs?' I think he was referring to Howard, who was fired after insulting Leto and I for our relationship."

Officer Hendricks nodded, "Go on."

"Let's see, he also said, 'I'm here to teach you fags a lesson.' After that is when he began raping me. Thhe just started grunting for a while before saying 'You like that don't you, you fuckin' fag. You like taking cock up your ass. I'm gonna fuck the gay right out of you…'." Andreas said with disgust.

"That's when I walked in," Leto spoke up. "I heard the last part of that, just before I pulled the brute off of Andreas."

"So you saw the assault in progress?" Officer Hendricks asked.

"Yes, I did," Leto confirmed.

"Your name is Leto Freeman, correct?" Officer Johnson asked.

"Yes."

"And you are currently in a romantic relationship with the victim?" Officer Hendricks added.

"Yes."

Turning to Andreas. "Would you be willing to show us the damage?" Officer Johnson asked.

"Um, if you really need to see it," Andreas asked shyly.

"We want to corroborate your story," Officer Hendricks explained. "Then we recommend going to a hospital and documenting the extent of the damage, and getting proper treatment."

"Alright," Andreas nodded. He got up onto his hands and knees. "Leto, would you help show them?"

Miranda blushed and quickly turned her back…clearly not realizing how invasive the officers were going to be.

Leto nodded and pulled down Andreas' underwear and gently spread his ass cheeks to show the torn skin around Andreas' anus. Both officers hissed in sympathy, seeing the extent of the exterior damage.

"Man, I'm sorry, that looks painful," Officer Johnson said sympathetically.

Andreas nodded in agreement. "It is."

"Alright, let's get you down to the hospital for a complete exam," Officer Hendricks said.

"I can take them, Officer," Miranda said, a pained look on her face.

"Alright, we'll meet you down there, ma'am," Officer Hendricks said, tipping his hat, leaving the apartment with his partner.

Miranda was wringing her hands in worry. "I'm so sorry Andreas, this should never have happened to you."

"Well, I've suffered worse," Andreas said. "I'll be ok."

"Leto told me," Miranda said. "I don't think you should ever have to suffer like that again."

Leto nodded. "Agreed. Come let's get you dressed."

Leto led Andreas to the bathroom so they had privacy and they got dressed and ready for the hospital.

On the drive Andreas once again lay in the back seat of Miranda's car. Soon they arrived at the local hospital and as they entered the emergency room, Andreas gaped at all the high-tech medical equipment.

"Wow, I bet I could do a lot of good with some of this equipment at the clinic!" Andreas whispered.

Miranda smiled. "I bet you could, but you're not licensed to use what they have here, not to mention most of this equipment is expensive. I could buy you all the herbs you'd need for five years for the price of one of these machines."

"Oh, well. Never mind then," Andreas tried to smirk, but winced instead.

They were met in the emergency room by the two police officers and went to check into an exam room so Andreas could be examined in detail. Leto insisted on not leaving his side. After filling out reams of paperwork, much of which Miranda had to help them on, they had to wait for a ridiculous amount of time, leaving Leto anxious and frustrated. He groused about how Andreas could exhibit so much patience, but Andreas just smiled at him.

Finally the doctor arrived to examine Andreas.

"Hello Mr. Bauermann, I'm Dr. Brown. Looking over your files, you were sexually assaulted. Is that correct?" the doctor asked.

"Yes," Andreas nodded.

"I read the full report that the officers put together, they gave me all the details," Dr. Brown said, sympathy shining in her eyes. "Now I just need to give you an examination. Unfortunately I will have to be somewhat intrusive to check for internal tearing."

Andreas nodded. "I understand, do what you need to."

Miranda walked towards the door. "I'll give you some privacy for this Andreas. I'll be out in the hall when you're done."

The doctor looked pointedly at Leto. "I'm staying," Leto said firmly. Andreas nodded his assent. Then the doctor pulled the curtain around the exam table and instructed Andreas to remove his clothing from the waist down and to lie on the table. She pulled out stirrups to place his feet in and all of a sudden he felt incredibly exposed, and he blushed furiously.

"No need to be embarrassed Mr. Bauermann, I get to see people in all stages of undress every day," Dr. Brown said warmly.

"Since you're seeing so much of me, please call me Andreas," he said, trying to lighten his mood and embarrassment.

The doctor put on some gloves and rolled over a small table with numerous items on it, including a camera. "I am going to need to take photos of all external injuries. Is that alright?"

Andreas nodded. "Yes."

She proceeded to examine Andreas' injured rectum, noting the tearing around the outer rim. She then slowly inserted a small instrument that apparently had a small camera on its end and it displayed the interior of Andreas' rectum onto a small television. Andreas found this fascinating and watched intently, even while occasionally hissing and wincing in pain.

"I'm sorry Andreas, this part is a bit uncomfortable, and I'm sorry it has to be so intrusive, especially after what you just went through," she apologized.

"It's alright. I gave you the consent for this, so this isn't anywhere as bad as what happened, believe me," Andreas said.

Leto stood at his side, holding Andreas' hand. He was proud of how bravely Andreas was taking such an intrusive exam after such a brutal assault. He didn't think he'd be nearly as calm about having something shoved up his anus in such a state.

The doctor was very thorough, documenting every injury and taking samples of tissue. She then prescribed something for the pain and recommended a liquid diet while Andreas healed, in order to prevent further damage when he had to have a bowel movement. She also prescribed something called an 'anti-biotic,' to help prevent infection, considering the nature and location of Andreas' injuries. He was also instructed to return for a follow-up exam within one week.

After they were done, Andreas carefully walked back to Miranda's car with Leto. On their way out they ran into a young woman who stepped in front of them. "Excuse me, I don't mean to be too forward, but…are you the man who was assaulted at the mission yesterday?"

Andreas blinked. "Yes."

"I…I'm a new reporter over at the Denver Post…and I think your story would make a great human interest piece," she explained. "Could I…maybe interview you sometime? Please?"

The woman…practically still a girl…was very eager and seemed sweet. Andreas looked at Leto for his thoughts.

"When do you want to do this…interview?" Leto asked.

"Oh, I'd love to do it today if possible, but I can wait," she said.

Leto looked at Miranda. "What do you advise?"

Miranda smiled. "How about meeting them later this afternoon at their apartment, once we get Andreas settled back into bed and comfortable? Here's the address," she said writing it down quickly and giving it to the reporter. "How about 4pm?"

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you so much!" the young woman nearly squealed. "This means a lot to me. It could be my first big story!"

As they walked out into the parking lot Leto asked Miranda. "Why did you agree to Andreas giving this interview?"

"If you get featured in a human interest article and you get some public support, it may help me legitimize your status here," Miranda explained. "That will give you both a lot more freedom."

Leto hummed. "Freedom? That's something I can support wholeheartedly." Andreas nodded as he carefully crawled into Miranda's back seat.

On the way back to their apartment, Miranda stopped to get Andreas' prescription filled and to pick up cans of soup and other soft foods at a grocery store. Miranda informed them that the man who assaulted Andreas had been formally arrested and charges of sexual assault were filed against him. Everything would take weeks or months, but eventually the man could go to jail for a very long time.

As Miranda got them back to their apartment, they ran into Henry outside of their building.

"Hey, guys! I have good news! Just wait until you see this," Henry exclaimed.

"What happened?" Miranda asked.

"Let's get upstairs and I'll show you on my laptop," Henry beamed.

Once they entered the apartment, Henry set up his laptop with a Wi-Fi connection through his phone and loaded a web site. Miranda made a squeak of delight but Andreas and Leto were left confused.

"What is that?" Andreas asked.

"It's called a crowd funding website," Henry explained. "It's where someone with a cause or a project that they need money for, creates a campaign, and people can choose to donate. Someone at the mission created one for you because of your attack, and money is just pouring in!"

"I don't understand your currency very well yet, but that looks like a lot," Andreas exclaimed.

"It is. It's over $50,000 already and climbing," Henry said. "You guys could get out of this crappy apartment…no offense Miranda…and you could do a lot more with your clinic and self-defense classes!"

"Who would do this? Why would they do this?" Andreas asked.

"Because you help people, Andreas, and because they want to give back and help you," Henry said.

"Well that's all very lovely, but I think I need to lie down again," Andreas winced. "Don't mind me Miranda, but I'd like to take my jeans off, if you don't mind."

Miranda blushed and turned around, much as she had when he had to expose himself to the police officers earlier in the day. Once Andreas was settled, Leto brought him his medication and a glass of water.

"Thank you, love," Andreas said gratefully, trying to swallow the strange remedies.

Leto tucked Andreas into the blankets and everyone else took a seat at the table. "So what now?"

"Well that reporter should be here in an hour," Miranda said. "You should tell her about the crowd funding campaign."

Henry looked surprised. "What reporter?"

"We ran into a reporter at the hospital from the Denver Post. She wants to interview Andreas for a human interest piece," Miranda explained.

Henry frowned. "I don't know if it's such a good idea for them to get a lot of publicity."

"Why not? This could do both of them a lot of good, to get their story public," Miranda said.

"You don't understand," Henry sighed. "If anyone starts digging around in their past…well they'll find they don't have one."

"What do you mean they don't have one? I assumed they were illegal immigrants, probably from somewhere in Europe," Miranda said astonished.

"No, it's…more complicated than that," Henry sighed.

"What haven't you told me, Henry," Miranda said sternly. "Out with it."

"You're not going to believe me," Henry said.

"Try me."

"Alright," Henry said, pulling out his laptop again. He busily clicked and typed and then swung the laptop around, showing what clearly looked like a picture of Andreas and Leto, wearing strange clothing. The odd thing was the image didn't look like a photo, it looked like some sort of computer graphic.

"So…someone created computer images of these two in strange clothes?" Miranda asked, not understanding. "Why did they make Leto's tattoos white?"

Henry shook his head.

He then turned the laptop around and clicked and typed some more, this time bringing up a video. She watched the scene unfold as Andreas chastised a woman about her choice of lover, referring to him as Fenris, when Leto appeared and confronted him.

"What…is this all about Henry?" Miranda asked, still confused.

"I don't know how to explain this…in fact we want to go to San Diego in a few weeks to help find an explanation actually," Henry said. "Leto and Andreas…they are characters from a video game, called Dragon Age. In the game they go by the names Fenris and Anders, although those were never their given names. In the game Andreas is a mage with magical healing powers, and Leto is a warrior elf."

"You can't be serious…"Miranda said.

Henry looked at Leto. "Do you still have your old clothes?"

Leto nodded and went to the small closet they kept them in and brought them out. Andreas had thought to put them on hangers. They matched the outfits they were wearing in the video perfectly.

"You are serious?!" Miranda said incredulously. "But…how?"

Leto recounted their tale, beginning with the request from Merrill to come to her hovel in the Alienage, and how they awoke in the mountains of Colorado, to how Henry found them, walking alongside the roadway they now knew was called I-70.

"I honestly thought they were cosplayers on their way to Denver Comic-Con at first," Henry explained. "But I took pity on them and let them stay with me. The more time I spent with them, the more I was convinced they really *were* the Fenris and Anders from the video game."

"And you really don't understand how you came here, other than something to do with this Fade and magic?" Miranda asked, incredulously.

"That is correct," Leto said.

From the bed, Andreas chimed in. "If I still had my magic, I could do a lot more good at the clinic, and I wouldn't be lying here in pain either."

"Well it's clear we can't tell the reporter that story, so what do we tell her?" Henry asked Miranda.

"Good question. Why don't we say that they can't reveal where they're really from for fear of their lives?" Miranda suggested.

"Well that's as good of a story as any," Henry nodded. "What do you think Leto?"

"Yes, Andreas and I do have lots of experience of being on the run, of fearing for our lives," Leto said. "Although I know we are safe here, I think we could both make such a tale believable."

Andreas nodded from his position on the bed.

"Alright that's settled then," Miranda sighed. "I'm still not sure what to think of all this, but you're both good people and that's all that matters to me in the end."

After a few moments of silence, Leto noticed that Miranda was trying not to stare at him, but couldn't help it. Leto finally raised an eye brow in question. Miranda blushed. "So…you're not human?"

Leto shook his head. "No, I'm an elf. I was born with my ears like this," Leto smirked.

"And your tattoos?" Miranda asked.

Leto sighed. He knew that question would arise at some point. "They aren't tattoos. I was a slave and my former master carved lyrium into my flesh. In Thedas they appeared white and would glow blue if I activated them. They allowed me to phase my body through solid objects and I had the ability to literally rip the heart out of a man's chest."

Miranda looked shocked. "Why did they turn black?" Miranda questioned.

"From what Henry tells me, Lyrium doesn't exist in your world, so it probably disappeared into the Fade along with Andreas' magic and the spirit of Justice that had possessed him, as we were flung into your world," Leto said.

"Wait, besides being a…mage?...Andreas was also possessed?" Miranda asked in shock.

"Yes I was. Just your friendly neighborhood abomination, at your service!" Andreas quipped, slurring his words a little. "Maker, whatever were in those pills you gave me, I like it!"

Henry laughed. "Oh no. Andreas is high from his pain medicine isn't he?"

Miranda wasn't able to suppress a smirk. "I do believe so. Oh dear, this won't bode well for the interview, will it?"

"Why don't we make him some coffee? Maybe that will help?" Henry suggested "Extra strong."

Leto nodded, and got up to prepare the coffee. The journalist would be there soon, and they had no time to waste.


	16. The Interview

At 4pm on-the-dot, a knock came at their apartment door and Leto went to answer it. The young woman they had met at the hospital stood nervously outside.

"Come in," Leto said invitingly. "You remember Miranda, and this is our friend Henry."

"Nice to meet you," she said. "My name is Rachel."

Rachel pulled a small device out of her purse, looking at Andreas. "Do you mind if I record this interview? It will help keep this more conversational."

"Record?" Andreas asked, clutching a steaming cup of coffee.

"Yeah like, well, you know, I hit this button and it saves everything we say, get it?" Rachel tried to explain.

Andreas didn't fully understand, but it seemed harmless enough. He nodded in approval. "Ok."

"Great!" Rachel said with an enthusiastic smile and she pushed the button and placed the device on the table next to the bed. Leto brought over a chair for her to sit down on. "Thank you!"

Leto joined Andreas on the bed while Henry and Miranda hung back at the table.

"So, first let me get your names for the record, can you tell me your first and last names, and spell them for me?" Rachel asked.

Andreas told her both his and Leto's names, spelling them out. Leto hadn't yet perfected his reading skills and Andreas didn't want to embarrass him further by letting him try to fumble through spelling his name. Leto squeezed his hand gratefully.

"Thanks, and…are you both in a relationship together?" she asked.

Andreas and Leto both blushed and nodded. "Yes, we are, and we've known each other for a few years now. The… _relationship_ …part is a bit new though," Andreas replied.

"And you both work at the mission, correct?" Rachel asked.

"Yes we do. We started by helping in the kitchen, but then Miranda was kind enough to let me start a small clinic to help the people with injuries and such. Leto was also just starting up a self-defense class as well. Ironically I was supposed to take his class yesterday after lunch," Andreas explained. "Not that I'm so sure there was much I could do. My attacker was much larger and stronger than I am."

Leto harrumphed but chose not to say anything more for now. Andreas just squeezed his hand and smirked at him.

"Why did you choose to work at the mission?" Rachel asked next.

"Well we both needed a means to earn some income, and Miranda was kind enough to take us both on," Andreas began. "The work suited me perfectly. I just love helping people in greater need than myself."

"You like helping people even when you have a greater need," Leto said quietly. "How often did you go without a proper meal or sleep in your clinic?"

"I couldn't turn away people in need, you know that," Andreas said softly.

"Yes, I know," Leto said looking at Andreas and forgetting all about Rachel for a moment. "It's one reason I love you, _Amatus_."

"Aw, you two are so sweet together," Rachel said, bringing the two back into the present moment. "What does that word mean? Amatus?"

Leto blushed but before he could reply Henry intervened. "It's his pet name for Andreas. It's Latin and basically translates into 'beloved.'"

"Wow, you know Latin? That's so cool," Rachel said. "Where did you learn it?"

"I…uh…grew up speaking it," Leto said hesitantly.

"Wow, your parents must have been very well educated then," Rachel said, sounding impressed.

"No, my parents were slaves," Leto growled before Henry could intervene.

Henry spoke up before Rachel could press further. "Leto and his family were forced into servitude by a real sadistic bastard. He only allowed them to speak and understand Latin so that they couldn't understand conversations he had with his guests."

Leto nodded at that. It sounded plausible enough.

"Wow, how'd you get away from all that?" Rachel pressed.

"It's a very long story, but I have been free now for several years," Leto said. "The rest of my family were not as fortunate."

"Your English is very good," Rachel said, praising the elf. "Since we're talking about you, would you mind telling me about your body modifications?"

Leto paused, trying to compose himself. "My former… _master_ …forced the modifications on me. He told me they made me more…beautiful," Leto shuddered at the memory. He tried to not emphasize the marking so that Rachel would assume his ears were part of the forced modifications.

"Oh my, so you were forced to work for him and he also tortured you?" Rachel asked in sympathy.

"Yes. I was…both tortured and raped by him," Leto admitted. Andreas squeezed his hand in sympathy.

"Oh you dear man, that's horrible!" Rachel said. "Is that what brought you to the US? To escape that?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Leto nodded.

"What about you Andreas? What's your story? Why did you come here?" Rachel asked.

"My story isn't really that much different from Leto's. I wasn't a slave, but I was locked away, beaten and raped repeatedly by an organization that was supposed to protect people like me," Andreas explained. "I tried to escape many times and they always found me. Now that I'm here in the US, I hope they will never find me again."

"What do you mean by 'people like you'?" Rachel asked curiously.

Henry intervened again. "He was orphaned around the age of 12. Not everyone at the orphanage he grew up in were…very kind."

Andreas cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes, and some of the… _guards_ …at the orphanage, took an unsavory liking to me."

"Oh wow, that's just awful. Is that what drew you both together? Your past experiences with such abuse?" Rachel asked.

Leto smiled and shook his head. "Not at first, no. We actually argued a lot when we first met. I don't think our old friends would have ever guessed we would one day be…together."

"What changed all that?" Rachel asked.

"Well, coming together to this…country. Having to rely on each other to survive. Andreas was the only thing familiar to me and so I was drawn to him because of it," Leto explained. "I guess…after that I began to realize how much we actually have in common and things developed from there."

"So the attack yesterday," Rachel asked hesitatingly. "That must have been so traumatic, to come here to escape such abuse, only to find it again?"

Andreas nodded. "I've been through a lot worse, but yes. It brought back a lot of bad memories. Leto's been helping me through it. I would be a mess without him here."

"Do you know why you were attacked, or was it just some random thing?" Rachel asked.

"It was revenge. The first day we started working at the mission, there was a guy named Howard," Andreas began. "He picked up on the fact that Leto and I were…together. He taunted both of us for it and…got himself fired for his trouble."

"Some time later he hired some thugs to attack us as we left work one evening," Leto continued the story. "We were successful in defeating them and decided not to press charges at the time. We had thought he'd given up until the attack yesterday."

"So Howard is some kind of homophobe, bent on revenge for losing his job? And he blames you both for that?" Rachel asked.

"Yes." Andreas and Leto both nodded.

"That's terrible!" Rachel said. "I hope he gets what he deserves. What has been the response to all this?"

Henry spoke up again. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I discovered that someone who heard about what happened to Andreas has set up a crowdfunding campaign to help him out."

"How exciting! How much has been donated so far?" Rachel asked.

"Over $50,000 the last time we looked," Henry said. "They named the campaign 'Help Generous Gay Mission Volunteer Who Was Assaulted."

"Me? Generous?" Andreas blushed.

Leto grabbed Andreas' hand into both of us. "Yes, you are a very generous man, _Amatus_. You are always giving more of yourself than anyone would ever ask of you."

Andreas blushed a little deeper.

Rachel grabbed her device and hit the button again, turning it off. "Well I think I have more than enough to write my article. I need to go type it up and hopefully it will be in the paper in the next day or two at most. Thank you so much!"

Miranda rose, having been mostly silent up until now. "Let me see you out, I'd like a word or two in private, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all. It was nice to meet you all! I hope you get better soon Andreas!" Rachel said with a wave as she and Miranda left the apartment together.

Andreas relaxed, leaning back into his pillows again. "She seemed nice."

"You think everyone seems nice, until they prove you wrong," Leto chided.

"Good point, Love." Andreas said, chuckling softly.

Andreas then looked at Henry. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

Henry laughed. "You really are too selfless for your own good. I told my boss that a close friend got attacked and that I needed to give him some moral support and he gave me the day off."

A few moments later Miranda returned. "I talked to her and tried to steer her article in the most positive direction possible," she explained. "I'm also relieved that cup of coffee helped you Andreas. I'll admit I was a touch nervous that you would come across as high."

"I used to be really good at faking being sober, even when I was completely drunk," Andreas shrugged. "The coffee did help a lot though, so that was an excellent idea."

Leto then looked pointedly at Henry and Miranda. "I think this has been enough excitement for one day. I think Andreas requires his rest."

Henry chuckled. "Always to the point. Alright, Leto, you're right. Come on Miranda, I'll walk you out."

Miranda nodded, grabbing her purse. "I'll check in on you both tomorrow. Call me if you need anything! I'll stay on top of that crowdfunding campaign for you."

"Thanks Miranda, Henry," Andreas said with a yawn. "I guess a nap couldn't hurt."

Once their two friends had left, Leto began tucking Andreas into bed, but Andreas resisted. "Leto, um. I need to use the bathroom."

Leto frowned. "It's time isn't it? I recall you dreading this earlier."

"Yes, dreading it a lot actually, but it's not something that I can hold back until I heal either. Again something else that makes me miss my magic," Andreas said with a sigh, slowly rising from the bed. Leto let Andreas lean on him to keep him steady. "Hopefully the painkiller I took will help make this easier?"

It turned out the painkillers didn't make it easier at all, and Leto held Andreas for comfort as his lover screamed through the pain. This seemed to hurt worse than the actual assault had. Once it was all said and done, there was definitely more damage and blood and Leto helped Andreas clean up and apply more of the salve to his ruined rectum.

Afterwards Andreas was once again tucked into bed and Leto let him sleep, watching over him and worrying about the man he loved.

Some hours later Andreas awoke, looking up at Leto seated in the chair beside the bed. "Why didn't you join me?"

"I didn't know if you would want me to. I can't imagine I'd want to be touched after going through what you did," Leto said softly, his expression hard and unreadable.

"Oh my love, yours is the one touch I will always want, no matter what happens," Andreas said.

Leto's expression softened and he leaned in to give Andreas a chaste kiss. "Now, would you like some soup? I think it's also time for your next dose of medicine."

Andreas nodded.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me," Andreas said. "I don't know what I've done to deserve such a wonderful man in my life."

"By being kind, selfless and caring," Leto replied. "Now it's your turn to be cared for."

Leto moved off to make soup and brought Andreas a glass of water to take his medication with. They then sat in companionable silence as they both ate a bowl of soup.

Once Andreas was finished, Leto took their bowls and placed them into the tiny dishwasher in their kitchenette. As he turned back towards Andreas he noted the man was crying. Leto quickly crossed over to the bed and got in behind him, pulling him close.

"Amatus, what's wrong?" Leto asked, concerned.

"I'm such a fool. I shouldn't have let myself be so open to attack. I used to know better. I always had assistants around just in case of such an eventuality back in Kirkwall," Andreas said, softly sniffling. "Now I've just messed things up for the two of us."

"You haven't messed anything up, Amatus," Leto said, smoothing Andreas' hair. "You will heal and in the mean time we can enjoy each other's company in other ways."

"Like how? We've mostly just had sex, and I…well obviously I just can't. Not for a while," Andreas sighed.

"I was…thinking about asking you to help me learn how to read?" Leto asked hopefully.

"You'd let me do that for you?" Andreas asked. "It would be an honor to teach you, Love," Andreas said, hugging Leto's arms to his chest. "We could start tomorrow, but maybe you could ask Henry to bring by some beginner books to start with?"

Leto nodded, pulling out his phone. He switched on the voice to text command and spoke into the phone.

 _"Andreas will teach me how to read. When you have time can you bring by some beginner reading books for me?"_

A few moments later a reply from Henry came through. Leto handed it to Andreas to read.

 _Sure thing. I'll bring them by tomorrow._

Leto smiled and then decided it was time for the both of them to prepare for bed. "Are you up for taking a shower?"

"Maker, yes! I feel very unclean. Will you join me?" Andreas asked.

"Don't ask such silly questions, of course I'll join you," Leto said, helping Andreas up.

They took their time in the hot shower, Leto carefully keeping his touches to Andreas chaste, only helping him wash. Afterwards they did their other nightly ablutions and changed into fresh t-shirts and underwear before returning to bed.

Leto grabbed a hair brush and began slowly brushing out Andreas' damp hair. "Your hair has grown quite long," he noted conversationally. "I quite like it like this. I've always loved the color of your hair."

Andreas blushed. "Thanks love. That feels really nice. Can I brush yours when you're done?"

Leto hummed in approval and when he was done brushing Andreas' hair they both turned over and Andreas slowly brushed through Leto's silver white locks that had also grown longer. "Yours is also getting quite long, Love. I think it looks good on you."

Leto blushed.

"I…I know you hate what Danarius did to you. As you should because what he forced you to endure was…horrific," Andreas began. "But…since you can't get rid of them or hide them…please know that your markings, even in black, and your white hair…they really make you very beautiful. Without them you would still be amazingly handsome and sexy as the void, but with them… _Maker_ , you're almost transcendent."

"I…thank you, Amatus," Leto said quietly. "Only from you I will accept that as a compliment." Leto turned and gave Andreas another chaste kiss.

Andreas then took one more dose of medication just before slipping under the covers and pulling Leto close. Andreas held Leto in his arms as they drifted off to sleep together.


	17. The Road Trip

Several weeks had passed since Andreas' attack. The crowdfunding campaign had been a phenomenal success and the person who started it had raised over $500,000 for Andreas and Leto. The human interest piece that came out in the Denver Post contributed a lot to all the donations they'd received, and it helped Miranda push through some documentation and paperwork to make Andreas and Leto both legal residents. Miranda had some contacts in the Department of Immigration, which helped smooth the process along. Now they both had a legal standing and carried their own IDs so Andreas no longer had to suffer the embarrassment of not having one whenever he wanted to purchase some alcohol.

Miranda and Henry also helped them open bank accounts and even an investment account in order to best make use of the money from the crowdfunding campaign, and they now had credit and debit accounts, although Leto insisted that Andreas only carry a debit card, as he felt Andreas may be a bit too frivolous with his spending to be trusted with a credit card.

Andreas had huffed at that, but then handed over the card made out in his name and kissed Leto on the forehead, murmuring _yes, my love_.

Andreas' clinic proved to be very popular and Miranda supplied him with more equipment as the new funding came in, and she had asked him to study to take some additional certifications so he could do more for his patients without running afoul of the law. Andreas also trained two assistants to help in the clinic, both for practical purposes, and to also discourage another attack.

As soon as Andreas had recovered enough from the attack, he dutifully attended Leto's training classes and learned several techniques that would allow him to better fend off an attack like that in the future. Leto even convinced a couple of his larger, stronger 'students' to try and attack Andreas, to prove that with the right technique, size and strength were not always the deciding factor in a confrontation.

Leto also held private training sessions with Andreas, working with him to improve his strength and agility, which would also help him during an attack. Leto was pleased to see the increased muscle definition and build up on his lover's body and longed to possess him once again. However Leto was patient and would bide his time until Andreas was ready, still suffering some psychological trauma from the attack.

Andreas and Leto were packing for their road trip with Henry to San Diego to attend Comic Con and to hopefully get some answers from BioWare. Since their new-found fame, Dragon Age fans had been noting their similarities to Anders and Fenris in the game and they've had to skirt around questions about if they were cosplayers or not and if Leto was trying to look like Fenris, why were his tattoos the wrong color.

Henry recommended that they packed their old clothes with them to wear at the convention, in the hopes they might convince the BioWare folks about who they really were. Henry had warned them that when they dressed as their former selves they would get a lot of attention at the convention. Henry also took them shopping so they had some luggage for the trip and also helped them pick out some new, dressier clothes for special occasions. Leto had also picked out some new sleeveless t-shirts to wear for both himself and Andreas. He refused to admit it, but a part of the reason was because he enjoyed gazing at his lovers' growing musculature and this style of t-shirt really showed it off well. Andreas also enjoyed the way they revealed more of Leto's markings that ran up his arms.

Andreas plopped himself on the bed after he'd finished packing. "I'm actually kind of excited for this. I've never…purposely traveled on a trip like this before…It's kind of exciting!"

"What about all our missions with Hawke up to Sundermount or out to the Wounded Coast?" Leto asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I don't know…those were…different somehow?" Andreas shrugged. "At least we're not on our way to kill a dragon or clear out a cave full of Darkspawn!"

"True enough," Leto chuckled. "Henry said he'd be here very early, and you know how I hate mornings. I suggest we try and get to sleep soon."

"Agreed," Andreas nodded, yawning. "Let's get a shower in though, so we have time for coffee in the morning."

"I love the way you think," Leto said, grinning.

They still preferred to shower together every evening. It wasn't always the intimate act it had been when they first exploring their feelings, and bodies, but it seemed to have a way of calming them both before they went to bed.

Despite the fact that Andreas was fully recovered from his attack, at least physically, they had both been hesitant with their intimacy. Andreas still had nightmares and wasn't ready and Leto had no intention of forcing anything. They both knew all too well the lingering trauma of such an experience.

Leto was a patient man and for now, kissing and cuddling with his lover was enough.

Early the next morning Henry arrived carrying an offering of coffee, which was a good thing – they had overslept and hadn't had time to brew their own.

"You are Maker sent," Leto thanked Henry, greedily taking a swallow of his coffee.

"So are you guys ready?" Henry asked. "Did you remember to pack your clothes from Thedas?"

Leto gives a sleepy nod and Andreas grabbed their luggage as they headed out of the apartment.

The route they take takes them back over the roadway…I-70…that Leto and Andreas first encountered upon their arrival, this time traveling west into the mountains. The scenery is stark and beautiful and Andreas remarks how he now understands why they call them the Rocky Mountains.

A few hours into the trip they stop to get food and fill Henry's car with fuel. Leto gets a lot more strange looks here than he had back in Denver, but he pays them no heed as he and Andreas head towards the men's room to relieve their bladders.

It's lucky that Henry follows soon after as when he enters a very large man has Leto pinned against a wall by his throat, his feet dangling, while Andreas is futilely trying to pull the man off of the elf.

Henry rushed over and between himself and Andreas they managed to pull the man off of Leto, who sagged against the wall once he was freed, gulping for air.

"What in the world were you doing to my friend!?" Henry screamed.

"That perverted _freak_ looked at my cock. Him and his kind need to burn in hell!" The man blustered.

"I was decidedly not looking at your cock, I have no interest in you or your cock," Leto growled, his voice sounding strangled.

"Well, you better make sure it stays that way, freak," the man scowled before rushing out of the bathroom.

"What in the world happened?" Henry asked.

"We were just relieving ourselves when that behemoth just grabbed Leto by the neck and pushed him up against that wall, and that's when you walked in," Andreas explained, shaking.

Leto wrapped his arms around Andreas. "Hey, shh. It will be alright. I am unharmed."

"I…I know, Love, but wow that brought back some flashbacks," Andreas tried to chuckle, unsuccessfully.

"Why don't you both go back to the car, and I'll order us some food," Henry suggested.

Leto led Andreas back out towards the car, murmuring reassurances to his trembling lover. They both got into the back seat of Henry's car so Andreas could lie down and place his head into Leto's lap, while Leto undid the tie in his long hair, coming through it with his slender fingers. The motion was soothing for both of them and Andreas was once again calm by the time Henry came back out with their food.

"Classic road-trip food…fast food burgers, fries and milkshakes!" Henry beamed as he passed out the food to each of them.

Leto and Andreas tucked into their food appreciatively. "Why is all the food in your world so good? I swear everything in Thedas is bland in comparison."

"Maybe it's just because it's different?" Henry suggested. "This is pretty bland fare in my opinion."

Soon they were on the road again, and they wound their way out of the Rocky Mountains and into long stretches of dry, dusty, nothingness that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Hey, I got a great idea!" Henry exclaimed and started to pull over to the side of the road. "Would either of you like to learn how to drive a car?"

Leto shook his head fervently. He was still somewhat terrified of being in a car and kept his head down for a good portion of the drive. Andreas looked tentative but shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

The location was perfect as they hadn't passed another car in miles, the weather was calm and sunny and there were no obstacles nearby to crash into, just endless stretches of desert. Henry drove what he called an _automatic_ , and he told Andreas this would be a simpler type of car to learn on.

Andreas slipped into the driver's seat and Henry explained all the controls to him. Andreas nodded, absorbing the information. When Henry felt he was ready, he handed Andreas the keys and showed him how to start the car. Leto let out a whimper from the back seat and curled lower down than he had earlier.

"Love, I promise I won't kill us," Andreas said with a chuckle as he turned the ignition on the car. He eased the car out of park and gently pushed the gas pedal, making the car lurch forward, startling them, Leto letting out a loud yelp.

Henry coached Andreas through it and soon he was driving the car fairly smoothly down the highway. "Hey once you get the hang of it, this is pretty easy," Andreas beamed.

A few miles later Henry noted signs for an upcoming town and instructed Andreas to park the car so he could take over. "You don't have a driver's license yet, so if a cop caught you, it could mean big trouble, but thanks for driving for a bit. It was nice to get a break."

"May I…drive again sometime?" Andreas asked.

"Sure, on stretches like that with no towns for miles you can drive all you want," Henry agreed. "Once you get back to Denver, you should consider getting your driver's license."

"Is it any easier than getting a doctor's license?" Andreas asked. "Miranda and I talked last week and she told me what it would entail for me to become a full-fledged doctor in your world."

Henry laughed. "Getting a driver's license is much easier. First you need to learn the 'rules of the road,' and take a written exam to get a permit. That permit allows you to practice driving as long as you have another licensed driver in the car with you. Then when you're ready, you take the driving exam and if you pass you get your license."

"Wow, yeah that sounds much simpler!" Andreas grinned. "Then all we'd need is to buy a car and we won't need to rely on you so much."

Henry chuckled. "Well they have this service called Taxis that you can pay for, but they aren't cheap so I never mentioned them. Now that you guys have some money in the bank though, you could use them from time-to-time as well."

As they drove through the different states on their way to San Diego, Henry told them some more of the history of this land they found themselves in, starting with the revolution that led to the formation of the United States.

"See Leto, sometimes people need to rise up and revolt before a positive change can happen!" Andreas said teasingly.

Leto let out an exasperated sigh. "Please, _Amatus_ , let's not bring up that old argument."

"Alright, Love. I'm sorry," Andreas apologized.

Leto was internally pleased that perhaps some of his earlier ' _punishments_ ' had sunk in, as Andreas no longer teased him mercilessly as he once did.

Henry felt the shift between them as well. "Alright you two, keep that away from me, alright?"

"Wait, you picked up on that?" Andreas asked, blushing.

Henry nodded. "Yeah, palpably. Leto just keep all that Dom/sub stuff to yourself, please?"

"Dom/sub?" Leto asked.

Henry sighed. "Look it up on your phone, please. I really don't want to talk about it."

"Um…well," Leto stammered. Andreas had been teaching him to read, but he was still not confident in his skills.

"You can do it, Leto. You've improved so much over the past few weeks. Just ask me if you get stuck on something," Andreas encouraged.

Leto sighed and pulled out his smart phone, opened the web search and hesitated. "How do you spell that?"

Henry sighed and spelled _Dom/sub_ for Leto, grumbling that it better be the last thing he heard about it.

Leto typed in the search and began scanning the results. His ears began to pink visibly as he deciphered the words he was reading. He couldn't understand all of them, but he made out enough to understand.

Andreas let out a low moan, and Leto realized that Andreas had made a similar search on his phone.

"Ugh, you two are hopeless!" Henry laughed. "How about reading up on that stuff later? You'll be sharing your own room at the hotel. There's no way I'm staying with you two!"

They all laughed and the topic shifted again as they drove through more barren landscape.

Around 17 hours from when they left Denver, they arrived at their hotel in San Diego. It was one situated across the street from Comic Con, which was set to begin the next day. Henry got them checked in, weary and hungry. Henry explained to them how to order room service and then sent them off to their room alone.

Andreas and Leto gaped at the gorgeous view of San Diego from the floor-to-ceiling windows in their room. They had a corner room with glass on both sides, a full moon streaming in, lighting the room brightly.

"How romantic," Andreas purred, forgetting his hunger and weariness. He pulled Leto with him over to the couch situated in the corner by the large windows, pulling the elf onto his lap.

Leto pulled Andreas' t-shirt off, wanting to feel his skin and taut muscles beneath his fingers before pulling Andreas into a tender kiss as they were bathed in moonlight.

Andreas' hand strayed beneath the hem of Leto's sleeveless t-shirt to caress the warm skin beneath, his other hand holding the elf's thigh, keeping him from falling off his lap.

Leto nestled his head against Andreas' shoulder after breaking from the kiss. "Thank you."

"For what?" Andreas asked.

"Two reasons, one for trying to protect me from that brute earlier today. Also, for respecting me today, for not continuing to tease when I asked. Both of those actions mean more to me than you can ever know," Leto said.

"Oh, my love. I will always try and protect you, as much as you always try and protect me, my strong warrior elf." Andreas said quietly, kissing Leto on the forehead. "And please never doubt that I do respect you. I know I sometimes go overboard with the teasing, but it's never, ever been out of disrespect. I know everything between us happened so fast after we arrived in this world, but you are my heart and soul. Never forget that."

Leto looked up at Andreas, tears welling in his eyes. "And you are mine," he whispered against Andreas' lips before claiming them again.

They sat for a long time on the couch, clinging to each other, whispering endearments.

Leto finally got up and led Andreas to the bathroom so they could share their nightly shower. While he was washing Andreas' back he asked. "Are you ready for tomorrow? Ready to be 'Anders' again?"

"Well, I'll dress as I did as Anders, but…without my magic? I'll never be Anders again. Not really," Andreas sighed.

"You really do miss your gift, don't you?" Leto asked.

"Yes…wait, did you just call it a _gift_?" Andreas asked in wonder, turning to face Leto.

"Yes, _mage_ ," Leto said fondly, cupping Andreas' face in his hands. "For you it truly was a gift. A gift to help others with, which is exactly what you used it for. If only those in the Imperium understood that, how much good they could actually do instead of so much harm." Leto stroked his hands over Andreas' form, admiring those newly developed muscles.

"Well then, the game of Dragon Age wouldn't have had as much drama, and it certainly wouldn't have had you, and then we would have never met," Andreas giggled as Leto hit one of his ticklish spots.

Andreas leaned his forehead against Leto's. "I am so very glad we met, and even more glad we got pulled into a world where we could have a chance to pursue our feelings for each other. I love you so much Leto. I need you even more."

"I will always be there for you, this I swear, _Amatus_ ," Leto said, before plundering Andreas' mouth again as the hot water of the shower continued to rain down on them.


	18. Comic-Con

Note: The depictions of any real persons from BioWare (specifically David Gaider, Jennifer Hepler and Patrick Weekes) are entirely fictional. I have never met them, this is just how I imagine they might react if Anders and Fenris suddenly waltzed into their lives.

...

Andreas and Leto awoke in each other's arms the next morning. Andreas stretched before wrapping himself around his elf again.

"Mmm we need a bed like this," Andreas murmured sleepily.

Leto nodded. "I must agree. This bed would have even put the one Danarius had to shame."

Andreas looked down at Leto and chuckled. "You're actually able to make jokes about Danarius? Who are you and what have you done with my elf?"

Leto huffed and gave Andreas a quick kiss while a smirk formed on his lips.

Andreas' stomach decided that moment to rumble loudly and he remembered they never ate anything the night before. "How about we try out this _room service_ Henry told us about and order ourselves some breakfast?"

They slowly got up and pulled on some clothing and Andreas used the phone in their room to call. He wasn't sure what to order and the person on the phone described their various options. They both opted to order bacon and eggs, with a large pot of coffee and some orange juice as well. Andreas decided to try his eggs scrambled and Leto opted for over-easy.

They were just finishing up their food when a knock came at the door. Andreas answered it, letting out a surprised laugh. It was Henry, dressed like a warrior from Thedas. "What exactly are you supposed to be?"

"I'm the _Inquisitor_ ," Henry said proudly, spinning so they could see the entire costume. "I've been working on this costume for weeks now, do you like it?"

"Who is the Inquisitor?" Leto asked.

"Oh yeah right, you wouldn't know. The Inquisitor is from the newest Dragon Age game, the one that comes after the one you both were in," Henry explained. "Remember how I said that the Hero of Ferelden is the character the player controls from the first game, and Hawke, also later known as the Champion of Kirkwall, is the one controlled in the second game? Well the Inquisitor is the one controlled in the third game."

"Why is he called the Inquisitor?" Andreas asked.

"Well it could be either a male or female, and in this game they can be either a human, elf, dwarf or qunari as well," Henry started to explain. "The reason they are called the Inquisitor is because of events that happen in the game, and the resurrection of the Inquisition of old as per instruction by the late Divine Justinia."

"Did you say the late Divine Justinia?" Andreas said, dumbfounded.

"Yeah there's a lot that happens after you blow up the Chantry in Kirkwall," Henry laughs. "So are you both ready to be Fenris and Anders again?"

"No, not really," Andreas sighed, "but I would like to speak with the people who…well if they are ones responsible for our existence…I just have so many questions."

"Well maybe you'll get them answered," Henry smiled. "David Gaider is actually here for the con this year and I bet he'll be able to explain a lot."

"Who is…David Gaider?" Leto asked

"Well he's the man responsible for who you both are," Henry explained. "He created both of your characters and story lines, although Jennifer Hepler took over writing Anders story for Dragon Age 2. I guess you could say that for the both of you, David Gaider is your… _Maker_."

"I hadn't even considered that…in a way we are going to meet our _Maker_ today," Andreas sighed, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed. "That's…wow."

"Oh before I forget, I have some presents for you," Henry said, walking back out into the hallway.

Leto and Andreas looked…stunned. Henry came back carrying what looked like Andreas' old mage staff and Leto's great sword.

"Where did you get these from?" Andreas asked in wonder.

"The dealer room," Henry laughed. "They are replicas of course and the sword is made of a material that's not dangerous."

Leto hefted it. "Indeed. It is far too light."

"I'll let you two get changed," Henry said. "I'll be back in a little bit."

Leto and Andreas unpacked their old clothes and began to change into them. After wearing the loose, comfortable clothing of their new home, it felt strange pulling on the tight leathers and heavy armor of their past.

Andreas struggled to get into his old clothes, realizing now how underweight he must have been back in Kirkwall. "Ugh, I don't remember my robes fitting quite so…snug."

Leto chuckled. "You're finally eating properly and you've added a nice layer of muscle. You were always too thin before."

"You're still too thin!" Andreas teased.

"For a human, perhaps, but I am correctly proportioned for an elf," Leto insisted.

"Not everywhere you're not," Andreas flirted, for the first time in weeks.

Leto blushed and almost wished he could tear Andreas' clothes off him right then and there, but now wasn't the time. Soon they were dressed and it felt strange to see each other in their old clothing.

"Those feathered pauldrons always were ridiculous, Amatus," Leto chuckled as he stroked a hand over one of Andreas' shoulders.

"You're one to speak, Love," Andreas smirked, running his hands over the feathers adorning Leto's armor.

"Mine are black and more stylish," Leto insisted.

"I could have had my robes made in black," Andreas said. "In fact, I had been considering it for some time."

"I think you would be quite attractive in black," Leto mused as a knock came at the door.

Leto let Henry in and he whistled. "Wow. I forgot how real you two look. Not that you aren't real…I totally get that you really are Anders and Fenris, but wow. People are gonna be blown away."

"Will there really be people here who will recognize our… _costumes_?" Andreas asked as he tied his long hair up into a messy bun.

"Oh, most certainly," Henry said nodding. "The most recent Dragon Age game just came out last year and I'm sure lots of fans of the game here. Hmm, you know people are going to ask to take photos of you both. Do you know how to pose for a photo?"

Andreas and Leto shook their heads. "Alright say I was a fan and wanted to take a photo, how would you stand?"

Leto and Andreas shrugged their shoulders and just stood, arms hanging limply at their sides.

Henry sighed. "No one is going to want a photo of you both like that. Take your 'weapons' and pose like you're in mid-battle."

The pair sighed and did as Henry bid, Andreas twirling his staff expertly before planting it firmly into the carpet, while Leto swung the great sword around and paused mid-strike.

"Perfect!" Henry exclaimed, snapping a shot with his smart phone. "People will love that!"

Andreas and Leto chuckled at the sight of themselves in those ridiculous poses. "Did we really look like that when we were in battle? How did our enemies not just roll over, laughing?" Andreas giggled.

"I don't know, you look quite fierce," Leto said, his ears pinking a little.

Henry cleared his throat and suggested they head towards the conference. Henry had already registered them and signed them in so he handed them their conference badges and they made their way out of the hotel.

At first no one seemed to take much note of them as they moved along with a throng of people, and then it happened. Someone squealed " _Fenris!_ " followed by " _Anders!_ " and lots of " _OhMyGod, those costumes are so good!_ " and " _you guys look so much like them!"._

They were asked to pose and be posed with and many photos were taken and many questions were asked that they tried their best to answer, all while Henry kept trying to steer them towards the BioWare booth.

It was all a little overwhelming and Leto latched onto Andreas' arm for support while following Henry through the crowds. The sheer amount of people all packed in one place was astounding. A few times they even came across other Dragon Age cosplayers, and a few of them looked close enough to their old friends that it made Leto and Andreas do a double-take.

They finally reached the BioWare booth and Henry stopped short. "There he is. David Gaider…the man responsible, in large part, for both of your existences."

Leto and Andreas both hitched their breath, clinging to each other, mouths agape as they looked upon their maker for the first time. He wasn't quite what they were expecting. The man wasn't very tall, a bit overweight and bald, with a black goatee on his face. He seemed jovial, speaking with eager fans and signing his name to various items being placed in front of him.

They hung back, not wanting to interrupt the current proceedings until the man took a moment to look up and survey his surroundings and his eyes fell upon Leto and Andreas, and a look of recognition seemed to cross his face. He leaned over to one of the other people with him at the table he sat at and that person got up and approached Henry, Leto and Andreas.

"Are you gentlemen here to see Mr. Gaider?" the person asked. Leto and Andreas nodded.

"Alright, follow me," the young man said, as he indicated they go behind a curtain in the back of the booth, where they found a couple of couches. "Please be seated. Mr. Gaider's autograph session will end momentarily."

The three of them were seated, Henry removing the helmet he wore with his costume, and Leto and Andreas taking off their weapons and setting them aside. They sat in companionable silence, Leto and Andreas holding hands, trying to keep their nerves at bay.

After what felt like an eternity, David Gaider came through the curtains, smiling a warm smile and reaching out his hand in greeting to the three.

"Those are some remarkably detailed costumes you boys have," Mr. Gaider said looking at Andreas and Leto, somewhat ignoring Henry. "Did you make them yourselves?"

Andreas and Leto were both dumbstruck, and they shook their heads no.

"Who is your costumer then? I'd love to meet them," Mr. Gaider said.

Andreas blushed and stammered a bit. "Um…well…you see…"

Henry spoke up then, seeing how nervous his friends were. "Mr. Gaider, this is a bit of an…unusual…situation."

"Oh? How so?" Mr. Gaider asked congenially.

Henry took a deep breath. "OK you're going to think we're crazy. I thought these two were crazy when I first met them…but…they aren't. Please, can you hear them out?"

David Gaider nodded. "Alright, go on."

"Well you see, here's the thing…they didn't get their clothing from a costumer. Leto's was made by an armor smith in Minrathous, and Andreas' was made by a tailor in Kirkwall," Henry tried to explain.

Mr. Gaider narrowed his eyes for a moment. "Are you putting me on?"

Leto finally found his voice. "No, sir. He is not. I am Leto, also once called Fenris, the former slave of the Magister Danarius. He is responsible for the cut and design of my armor."

"That voice…" Mr. Gaider breathed. "You do a wonderful impression of Gideon young man."

"I am not a man, sir, I am an elf," Leto explained. "The markings upon my flesh are the ones put there by Danarius. They turned black when we were violently flung into your world, the lyrium is gone, but the scars remain."

"May I see? Up close?" Mr. Gaider asked, cautiously.

Leto rose and walked closer to the man, removing his gauntlets and allowing he man to run his fingers over the scars on his hands. Mr. Gaider then reached up, examining the elf's ears, causing them to twitch in a way no human's could.

"Oh, my…" Mr. Gaider exclaimed, sitting back down. "You're really an elf!"

"Yes, sir," Leto nodded.

"Please, call me David," Mr. Gaider said.

"Alright, David." Leto nodded.

David pulled Leto in for a hug. "It's so good to actually meet you, Fenris." Leto felt a bit awkward, but hugged back tentatively. Then David turned to Andreas, who stood and gave David a warm hug. "It's good to meet you as well Anders. It feels like I'm meeting my long-lost children."

Andreas' eyes moistened. "It is a privilege to meet you, our Maker."

David laughed at that. "Yes, I suppose my team and I could very well be considered your Maker, at least in part." David sat down again. "Sit down, tell me everything," David asked, now eager to listen to their tale.

Andreas and Leto related the story of how Merrill had asked them to help her with her Eluvian, hoping that between the fade spirit within Andreas and the lyrium markings on Leto, they could help reactivate that damnable mirror. Then they related how they found themselves in the mountains of Colorado, their trek towards the roadway and subsequent meeting of Henry. Finally they told of what they had been doing over the past couple of months since they arrived in Colorado.

David looked stunned at first, emotion shining in his eyes. Then looking at Andreas. "That was you that was attacked in Denver?" David asked. "I remember seeing that in the news."

Andreas and Leto nodded. "It was very unpleasant and it brought back a lot of memories of my time in the Circle."

"Ah yes, your backstory is quite tragic. Both of yours are. I'm…sorry about that," David apologized, noting how Leto and Anders practically clung to each other. "So, you and Fenris…are together?"

Leto nodded, holding Andreas' had a little tighter. "Yes, we are, and I go by the name Leto Freeman now."

David chuckled at that. "…of course you would, and Andreas Bauermann, right?"

Andreas' eyes widened. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I created your characters. Even though we've never revealed Anders' name in canon, that's the name I've always thought of as being your real name," David explained.

David looked thoughtfully at them again. "How are you both together? You were written to hate each other in the game."

"We never really hated each other," Leto explained, "Although he did annoy me even on the best of days." Leto playfully bumped Andreas with his shoulder and they both blushed. "I always admired him for his selflessness towards the poor, healing for days on end with little rest and food."

Andreas blushed. "I was attracted to Leto from the day we met, and if he hadn't been ranting about how all mages were evil, I would have flirted with him right then and there."

"Now that we are stuck in this world, neither of us with our abilities anymore, we felt drawn together due to our familiarity with each other. This world was so strange to us when we first arrived," Leto said. "Our old rivalry was quickly forgotten and once we both realized our attraction to one another…" Leto blushed, his ears going visibly pink.

David found that remarkable. "Well if I wasn't sure those ears were real before…" he chuckled.

"So, then, do you have any idea how we…could possibly exist in your world?" Leto asked, changing to their more pressing topic.

David shook his head. "No, I honestly don't. What were you even doing at Merrill's? That's not part of the game."

"Well, when we're not being recruited as part of Hawke's party…what did you think we did?" Andreas asked.

"Well, technically nothing. Your characters generally go into limbo, although we write code for future interactions to indicate certain story progress," David explained.

"Well, what we actually experienced is quite different. When I wasn't off on jobs with Hawke, I was often in my clinic, and I remember those days quite clearly," Andreas offered.

"Yes, indeed. I would remain in my mansion drinking most days I wasn't on jobs with Hawke, although I would occasionally head out to the market to procure food or supplies to help maintain my armor," Leto added.

"Wow. I honestly have no way to explain any of that, unless somehow we've created some kind of AI without even realizing it?" David said in wonder. "I'm going to have to investigate this further."

"What is…AI?" Andreas asked.

"Oh, sorry, it stands for Artificial Intelligence. It's something computer scientists have been trying to develop for decades now," David explained.

"In talking to Andreas and Leto, it became clear to me that they came from a somewhat default version of the game. The Hawke in their reality was Garrett Hawke, a male rogue, who had a penchant for smearing blood across his nose," Henry added, Andreas and Leto nodded in agreement. "Since each play-through could be customized to a degree, I wonder if we could zero in on whose play-through they came from. Maybe something about that person's computer could have something to do with it?"

"That's an intriguing idea," David nodded. "You both need to recount as much detail about your experiences in Kirkwall as you possibly can, and Andreas also your experience at Vigil's Keep. If we're lucky we can match them up with someone's Dragon Age Keep world state? At least it will help narrow it down."

Andreas and Leto agreed to do so once they got home.

"Mr. Gaider, it's time for your panel," the young man that they had met earlier said, as he popped his head through the curtain.

"I'll be right there Stewart," David said before turning back to Andreas and Leto. "Would you join me for dinner later? I really would love to talk to both of you more."

"Of course," Andreas said, nodding.

After he left Andreas and Leto looked at each other. "Wow, he seems so…normal. Not at all what I was expecting."

Leto nodded. "It felt much more like meeting a long-lost…father, than what I'd expect of meeting the Maker."

Leto and Andreas went back to the hotel with Henry, having to once again pose for photos along the way. Once at the hotel, they changed into their new dress clothes that Henry helped them pick out. Andreas wore a pair of dark grey slacks, a white button-down shirt and black shoes. Leto opted for black slacks and shoes, with a dark grey button-down shirt. Sitting on the bed, Leto helped Andreas comb out his long blonde hair.

"Your hair looks so good down," Leto said. "Wear it for me like this, please?"

"Alright, Love. I'll wear it down for tonight," Andreas said, turning to embrace his elf, kissing him. "I almost wish we didn't have plans for dinner."

Leto's eyes brightened at the suggestion. "Do you mean?"

Andreas blushed and nodded. "I think I'm ready," Andreas whispered, kissing Leto again, just as a knock came at their door.

" _Kaffas_!" Leto swore while Andreas giggled, getting up to answer. Henry was dressed up as well, wearing brown slacks and shoes, and a white collared t-shirt. He noted the slightly frustrated expression Leto had and Andreas' mischievous grin and rolled his eyes.

"Come on, we'll be late for dinner," Henry said. The two followed him out of their hotel room. The restaurant was close by and when they arrived they saw David was joined by a couple of others.

"Andreas, Leto, I want you to meet a couple of other folks from BioWare," David said. "This is Jennifer, who did a lot of the writing for the Anders character in Dragon Age 2, and this is Patrick. He's the new lead writer for Dragon Age. They wanted to meet you both."

"Wow, it really is you, isn't it?" Jennifer said in awe, looking at Andreas. "I'm…actually sorry about the horrible life we wrote for you."

Andreas smiled. "It's alright, I suppose I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for some of those experiences. It certainly wouldn't have allowed me to relate to Leto the way that I do." Andreas reached out and grasped Leto's hand firmly in his, making the elf blush.

"Wow, you're right, he really is an elf," Patrick spoke up. "I wouldn't have believed it until I saw those ears pink."

The hostess then indicated their table was ready and they were all led back. Their table ended up being a large round booth that they could comfortably sit around, with Andreas, Leto and Henry on one side and David, Jennifer and Patrick on the other, with Andreas and David sitting next to each other near the back.

While the BioWare team answered a litany of questions from Leto and Andreas, Henry studied the menu, intent on ordering for his friends as he always did.

"I still can't believe you two are a couple," Jennifer said. David nodded his head in agreement. "I guess there was a chemistry there that we hadn't anticipated."

"You may have written our conversations and scenarios where we interacted, but you didn't write our thoughts and feelings," Leto said. "I guess once we were outside the bounds of this…game…we were more free to act upon them."

"I also want to make one thing perfectly clear," Andreas said. "We just want to understand how we got here, how we were able to come to your world and exist, but we have absolutely no intention of ever going back."

"So you don't miss your lives in Kirkwall?" David asked.

"Maker, no," Andreas said, and chuckled after he realized what he'd said. "Despite the attack, life here has been so much better than it ever was in Kirkwall. Also, now that I know what my fate was to be…I'm so glad I escaped that. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if Justice had truly manipulated me into blowing up the Chantry."

"Well it wasn't supposed to be Justice' manipulation, you were supposed to be of one mind on that," David said.

"Yes, your mind and Justice's would have become so intertwined by then, that it was a mutual choice," Jennifer added.

Andreas shook his head. "No. Never. If what you say is true, that Justice was to become more intertwined in mine, then it means that he would end up corrupting me. I would never go to such extreme measures. Never." Andreas' voice cracked with emotion at the mere thought.

Leto reached out to Andreas, stroking his arm. "Hush, _Amatus_. It's alright. You were spared that fate and I know you are a good man."

Andreas took a deep, steadying breath. "Thank you, Love," he said as he placed a chaste kiss on Leto's temple.

"Wow, you two are just absolutely adorable together!" Jennifer said.

"I'm beginning to regret not bringing back your characters in Inquisition," David said. "We could have done a lot with the two of you as a couple. It would certainly have shocked a lot of people!"

"Well, we still can in a DLC or in the next game," Patrick said, musing. "Except in the world states were Anders dies of course."

"What if he didn't really die though? I know David keeps saying he does, but what if…?" Jennifer continued.

"Do you mind not discussing…my death...please?" Andreas said imploringly.

"Oh sorry, that was insensitive," David said.

Just then the waitress came and took their order. Soon they had drinks and food, and Leto and Andreas began to discuss their current plans for the future.

As the dinner drew to a close, they all exchanged phone numbers and promised to stay in touch. The folks from BioWare seemed eager to try and see if they could find the specific play-through, and consequently computer, that this particular Anders and Fenris came from. They promised to stay in touch on the matter.

Henry walked Andreas and Leto back to their room before bidding the pair of them good night. Even though they were still booked for another 2 days at the hotel, they discussed heading back to Denver early, with perhaps with a stop in the famous city of Las Vegas along the way.

Finally Leto and Andreas were alone. Leto relaxed on the couch as Andreas paced, trying to process everything that had happened to them that day.

After a while Leto became restless. "Stop pacing and come here," Leto said, suggestively.

Andreas was lost in thought and didn't react.

Leto decided to take on a more…commanding…tone. "Amatus. Come. Here."

Andreas snapped out of his reverie and looked at Leto. "Did you need something, Love?"

"Come. Here. Now." Leto growled.

"Oh," Andreas said, finally complying, a blush spreading on his cheeks. "Yes, Love?"

Leto pulled Andreas down to sit on his lap and whispered into is ear. "I want you."


	19. Las Vegas

Andreas sat on Leto's lap and his breath hitched when Leto whispered into his ear. _I want you_.

They hadn't been intimate since the attack on Andreas so many weeks ago, but Andreas was finally moving past it and very ready and willing to allow his lover to be close again.

In response to Leto's declaration, Andreas leaned closer to the elf and ghosted this lips across the elf's, whispering "I want you, too." Leto captured his mouth with his own then, delving his warm, wet tongue into Andreas' mouth. They spent endless moments getting drunk on each other's kisses before Andreas finally got off Leto's lap and led him over to the luxurious hotel bed.

Andreas slowly began to unbutton Leto's shirt, enjoying the way it forced him to take his time to reveal his lover's gorgeous skin and swirling black markings. As much as Leto would always hate those markings, they did make him a gorgeous sight to behold, as they swirled around his lithe form.

As the shirt parted under his fingers Andreas bent down to kiss and lick the skin revealed, slowly kneeling before his lover. Leto hitched his breath as Andreas slowly undid his belt and slacks, pushing them off his slim, elven hips, releasing the elf's already hard length.

Leto reached down and pulled Andreas up from his knees. "Not tonight _Amatus_. Tonight I mean to make love to you." Andreas let out a small whimper at the promise behind those words as Leto claimed his mouth again while slowly pushing him back towards the bed, stepping out of his slacks in the process. Leto quickly discarded his slacks and underwear as well. All Andreas could do was stare at his lover and breath "Oh, Maker."

Leto slowly unbuttoned Andreas' shirt, sliding his hands beneath the thin material as it parted, kissing and nipping the bared flesh. Andreas just lay back, breathing hard, letting out little mewls and whimpers.

Leto looked up into Andreas' eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Oh Maker, yes. Please don't stop, Love." Andreas whispered.

"I have ached for you," Leto growled, kissing Andreas once more, as he slid the shirt off Andreas' shoulders.

"I know, Love. I'm sorry," Andreas said softly.

"Hush. Nothing to be sorry for, _Amatus_ ," Leto said, working his fingers into Andreas' waist band to unbutton his slacks. "I just want to reclaim what's mine tonight."

"Yes, Love. I'm yours." Andreas nodded as his slacks were being slid off his hips, along with his underwear.

"Good," Leto said with a slightly wicked grin.

Leto went to retrieve the lube from his bag and settled himself next to Andreas on the bed. He dropped the lube and began exploring every inch of Andreas' body with fingers and lips and tongue, making his lover moan and writhe under his touch.

Andreas began to plead with Leto. "Please, Love. Please touch me, fuck me… _anything_. I need you… _nnnggh_ …" His last thought was cut off when Leto wrapped his lips around the head of Andreas' cock, licking gently at the slit before taking more of the aching length into his mouth.

Without withdrawing his mouth, Leto reached for the lube and spread some on his fingers, before slowly massaging it into Andreas' entrance. Andreas was groaning in pleasure, when he made an undignified squeak as Leto breached his entrance with a finger. Leto raised his head and tried to reassure his lover. "Shhh, _Amatus_. It's alright. I've got you. Is it too much?"

Andreas shook his head. "N..no. It's good. Just been so long…"

Leto kept sliding his finger slowly in and out, while he crawled back up to kiss Andreas senseless yet again, whispering words of love and encouragement between kisses.

"You're so good _Amatus_. I'll make this feel good for you." Leto purred against Andreas' lips.

Andreas began arching into Leto's touch and Leto felt Andreas relax around his finger enough to insert a second, causing Anders to groan into his kisses. It wasn't long before Leto was able to insert a third finger.

Andreas began to mouth the word _please_ against Leto's lips. _Please, please, please, I need you, please_.

With Andreas begging so beautifully Leto could deny him no longer, and he repositioned himself between his lover's legs, spreading them wide. He slicked up his cock with more lube before positioning himself at Andreas' entrance, making slow, teasing circles with the tip before plunging in slowly.

"Ugh…yes…that's what I need Love. I need all of you…please!" Andreas begged.

Leto was soon seated within his lover. Andreas had been right, it had been so long since they were together like this. Leto nearly came right then and there for the tight heat his cock was sheathed in. He paused to take a deep breath to stave off his impending orgasm. He wanted this to last as long as possible, for both of them.

Leto leaned down and ghosted his lips over Andreas' as he slowly began to move. "Andreas…you're perfect…so perfect for me…so tight and…nnngh…hot…and…perfect."

Andreas leaned up and closed the gap between his and Leto's lips, kissing him hungrily as he arched into every one of his lover's thrusts. It was slow and sweet and sensual. Andreas could feel every inch of Leto as he slid in and out. It was too much and not enough all at once.

"I love you Leto. Love you so much. Love every part of you," Andreas moaned into his lover's mouth. His heart near to bursting with how gentle Leto was being. Andreas might enjoy it rough, but this slow lovemaking had his heart soaring. It was exactly what he needed.

Leto wrapped his hand around Andreas' cock, stroking it in time with his thrusts, keeping up the languid pace. He meant to see if they could both cum with a slow pace, but it was beginning to be difficult to hold back and chase his own orgasm.

Soon Andreas began pleading with Leto. "Please...please…please. Let me cum, Love, please. I need it so bad."

Leto quirked a smile and whispered in his ear. "Cum for me Andreas. Just like this…"

Andreas let out a wail of frustration as Leto continued the slow, languid movements, refusing to increase the pace. Leto kept whispering obscene thoughts into Andreas' ear. "Cum for me _Amatus_ , I want to feel you cum while I'm buried balls deep in your ass. I want to feel you squeeze down on my cock, impossibly tight, and milk my orgasm out of me."

Andreas' entire body stiffened and he arched almost violently into Leto's touch as he finally came, screaming Leto's name. Seeing and feeling Andreas' forceful orgasm sent Leto right over the edge and after only one more thrust he emptied himself deep into Andreas.

As they lay panting next to each other, Andreas looked over at Leto. "That was amazing, Love. Thank you."

"I should be thanking you, Amatus," Leto said. "I've missed…this."

"I know Love," Andreas said, curling himself up around Leto. "Thank you for giving me the time I needed to heal."

...

The next morning they checked out of their hotel early and set out with Henry back to Denver. Since they were leaving a couple of days earlier than planned, Henry said they would stop in a city called Las Vegas on the way back. They had driven through before, but as they were trying to get to San Diego in one day, they didn't have time to stop.

In a few hours they arrived in Las Vegas and Andreas' and Leto's eyes went wide when they saw the spectacle that was the Las Vegas strip, with all its strange buildings and neon lights, visible even during the bright daylight.

"What sort of city is this place?" Andreas asked.

Henry smirked. "This city is a gambling mecca. It's best known for all the casinos, but there are fantastic shows and restaurants too."

After Henry had parked at the hotel he decided they would stay at, Henry proceed to explain everything about casinos to the two men who had never gambled more than a few coins during a friendly game of Wicked Grace. Andreas and Leto had never imagined entire buildings dedicated to the pursuit of gambling.

They quickly checked into their rooms and Henry made some arrangements for their evening. First they would spend a couple of hours in the casino of their hotel, giving themselves a set limit to gamble with and promises not to go over their limit, even if they lost. They tried everything from slot machines to the craps table and even sat in on a couple of hands of poker. In the end Andreas lost about half his money while Leto doubled his. Henry didn't seem surprised.

Then Henry took the two out for dinner at a high-end restaurant and the pair had the best food experience they'd ever had. The preparations were so unique and the flavors were amazing.

After dinner, as they walked towards their next destination, Andreas couldn't stop grinning.

"Why are you grinning like a fool," Leto grumped before twisting his mouth into an amused smile.

Andreas sighed happily. "I just never would have imagined life like this, back when I was in the Circle, or even when I was living in Darktown."

Leto nodded. "Very true. Back in Tevinter I may have lived within a glittering palace, but I was never able to partake of its delights," Leto then harrumphed. "I _was_ one of its delights."

Andreas put his arm around Leto, kissing him on the cheek. "Joking about that again? Seriously, who are you and what _have_ you done with my broody elf?"

Leto slid his arm around Andreas' waist and squeezed. "It's difficult to remain broody when there is all this wonderment around. Also I'm no longer in constant pain as I was back in Thedas."

Andreas stopped and rounded on Leto. "Wait…you were in constant pain?"

Leto nodded. "My markings. They hurt constantly, even more so when I used them in battle. I got used to it over the years."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Andreas said, cupping the elf's cheek. "I could have done something to alleviate the pain."

Leto shook his head. "It…it never occurred to me to ask."

"Oh my Love. How you must have suffered," Andreas pulled Leto into a quick embrace.

Henry coughed. "I hate to break up this touching moment but we'll be late for the show."

"What show?" Leto asked, disentangling himself from Andreas.

"I got us tickets to a magic show!" Henry exclaimed before heading off without explanation. The two had to jog to catch up with him.

"What do you mean _magic show_? You told me this world has no magic," Andreas said frowning.

"It's not real magic," Henry explained. They actually utilize a lot of technology into their performances. It just looks like magic. Come on, this will be a lot of fun, I promise."

After the show Andreas and Leto were in wide-eyed awe. "Are you sure that wasn't real magic?" Andreas asked. "Because, wow. I've only ever seen mages perform stunts like that."

"Indeed," Leto nodded. "In fact it reminded me of some of the entertainment the Magisters would have at their parties, utilizing low-ranking mages to perform. It made me slightly uneasy."

"Well why don't we go back to our hotel and get some drinks at the bar?" Henry suggested. "It's a bit too early turn in."

Andreas and Leto agreed.

They arrived at one of the many bars in their hotel and they sat at the bar, enjoying the banter with the bartender while trying a few different drinks they'd never tried before. Before long all three were spectacularly drunk.

After the bartender opted to cut them off, they stumbled towards their rooms, Andreas nearly retching in a flower pot along the way.

Leto was always able to handle his alcohol, and Andreas hadn't been drinking much until recently, Justice preferring him to remain sober while they remained joined. Having clearly over done it this time, Andreas spent most of the rest of the night in their hotel bathroom, retching into the toilet, while Leto helped hold his hair and made him drink as much water as he could hold down.

The next morning they both awoke startled and bleary eyed to the sound of someone pounding on their door, calling out "Housekeeping!" They both called out at the same time "Go away!"

They tried to go back to sleep, but no avail, so Leto slowly got up and decided to try and make coffee with the coffee maker in their room. Once he had a hot steaming cup in his hands he took a sip and spat it out. "Blergh. This is the worst tasting …"

Andreas sat in bed and laughed at Leto. "I think Henry warned us about that, didn't he?"

Leto blushed. "That's right, I'd forgotten. I just really want a cup of coffee."

As if by magic, a knock came at their door. "It's me, Henry! I brought coffee!"

Leto hurried to let him in. "Thank the Maker!" Leto exclaimed, snatching a cup and drinking greedily. "Ah, that's better."

Henry chuckled and then looked at Andreas. "Man, you look like shit."

"Thanks for reminding me," Andreas chuckled, gratefully accepting a cup of coffee as well. "I feel like it too."

"Well I had a feeling you two would need some coffee. We need to check out in about two hours, can you be ready by then?" Henry asked, running a hand through his dusty blonde hair. I'd like to start heading back so we make it home tonight."

"Yes, it will be good to get back," Leto agreed. He had developed a need to be around the familiar. Having Andreas close helped but it felt better when he was settled into a routine, a habit from his many years of servitude.

"We have an apartment to hunt for, don't we Love?" Andreas smirked. "And a space for your self-defense studio as well."

"Yes, and I do believe you were going to study for some additional certifications for your clinic?" Leto reminded him.

They both perked up thinking of all their plans, and they soon were dressed and ready to head out. They headed with Henry back to his room so he could finish packing and they were soon checked out and back on the road heading back to Denver and to their hopeful futures.


	20. The Perfect Place

**Author's Note** : dom!Fenris is back in this chapter, and sub!Anders loves it (but if you don't enjoy BDSM scenes, feel free to skip over this chapter).

...

After getting back from their trip, Andreas became busier than ever with his clinic. It reminded Leto of when Andreas' had his Darktown clinic, and he'd go days without sleeping or eating properly. It was starting to happen again and Leto began making threats to _punish_ him if he didn't rest and eat regularly.

Leto still came to the mission twice each week to offer the self-defense classes, but spent the rest of his time looking at studio spaces and apartment hunting. Andreas was too busy to go with so Leto took it upon himself to find them the perfect apartment.

Leto had a number of criteria for the apartment he wanted, the most important being minimal shared walls with a neighbor. With some of the activities he and Andreas occasionally got up to, he didn't want a neighbor calling the police if they heard Andreas' screams. The thought of those beautiful sounds that Andreas could make often sent shivers up Leto's spine when he'd think about them randomly throughout the day.

Today Leto had appointments to look at three different apartments, all within the general area of Denver he wanted to live. The area was known as Cherry Creek, an upscale neighborhood that was far safer and open-minded than the area where they currently lived. It would mean that Andreas would have farther to travel to work, but until he could take time to learn to drive and buy a car, he could use a taxi service.

The first apartment Leto looked at wouldn't do at all. The layout was all wrong and the best room for a surprise he was planning for Andreas shared a wall with the neighbors. No, that wouldn't do at all. The second apartment was set in a way where they shared almost all walls with a neighbor or the hallway and as soon as he realized that he ended the tour abruptly.

Finally the last apartment he looked at was _perfect_. The only wall shared was the kitchen wall, and it was a corner unit on the top floor so no overhead neighbors either. The building was also built with extra soundproofing between floors and he was assured the neighbors below them wouldn't hear a sound from their apartment. There were a total of three bedrooms, one of which he was told was the _master bedroom_. Leto smirked at that name. They could use one of the other bedrooms as an office, like Henry did, and the third bedroom…that would contain Andreas' surprise.

Leto decided to lease the apartment right away and set about decorating and furnishing it before showing it to Andreas. Leto had some very specific tastes and Andreas wasn't picky at all.

Every night Leto made it a habit to go down to the mission and walk Andreas home. If Andreas wanted to avoid punishment he'd be ready at 8pm sharp. Leto decided this was the only way to keep Andreas safe and from getting too overworked. It didn't hurt that Andreas still _loved_ punishments.

After the successful apartment search that afternoon, he called Henry to help him do some furniture shopping and for advice on where to shop for the surprise he wanted for Andreas. He then busied himself on his new laptop searching for the items he needed to furnish that particular room exactly the way he wanted. He finished ordering the last item when it was time for him to walk and pick Andreas up. He walked briskly not wanting to be late himself.

When Leto arrived he noted with some annoyance that Andreas was not waiting for him at the door. Leto was excited to tell Andreas about the new apartment and it didn't bode well for the healer that he wasn't ready on time.

Leto stalked into the mission, grunting a greeting to Casey as he made his way back towards the clinic. Casey chuckled, knowing the kinds of games Leto and Andreas liked to play with each other. "Don't forget to lock up when you're done!" Casey called after the brooding elf, leaving the keys on his desk.

Leto approached the clinic and saw Anders hunched over his desk, pouring over some books and scribbling notes with a pad and pen.

"Andreas." Leto growled.

Andreas jumped, letting out a startled squeak. Internally Andreas was stuck between _Uh-oh_ and _Oh, yes_.

"Oh, hi Leto. I…um…lost track of time again, didn't I?" Andreas said with an apologetic grin.

"You did." Leto confirmed. "What did I say the last time this happened?"

"That…you'd bend me over my desk and give me a sound lashing?" Andreas said.

"And?" Leto growled.

"And that you would make me wear a…chastity device for an entire week," Andreas said, swallowing thickly. Leto could almost hear his heart hammering in his chest.

Leto ignored Andreas' statement. "Bend over the desk," he instructed as he began to undo his belt.

Andreas obeyed, leaning his body over the desk, grasping the edge with his hands and leaning his cheek against the cool wood.

"How many lashes do you deserve?" Leto asked as he began to undo Andreas' jeans, pulling them and his underwear down past his thighs.

"Um…well…you said five lashes for every minute I was still working past 8:00pm…and you got in here at 8:06pm. That means… _Maker_. Thirty. Thirty lashes, sir."

"Very good," Leto said. "Do you remember your safe word?"

Andreas nodded. "Maleficar, sir."

"Good. Count for me," Leto said.

 _Crack._ "One." _Crack._ "Two."

Leto didn't hold back, this was a punishment after all. He continued to rain down the blows over Andreas' ass and thighs. By the time he'd landed ten, Andreas was starting to grit out his count. At twenty he was crying out with every blow. The last five had Andreas screaming and sobbing, apologizing for his bad behavior with every lash.

When it was done, Leto put his belt back on and went to retrieve some salve, which he gently smoothed over the hot, red welts on Andreas' flesh while Andreas lay limply across the desk, catching his breath and sniffling.

"Good boy. You took your punishment well," Leto crooned gently. "Now get dressed and let's go home."

"Yes, sir," Andreas sniffled, letting Leto hold his hand as they made their way out of the mission. Leto grabbed Casey's keys and locked up, giving the keys to Andreas to bring back in the morning.

Once they were home, Leto asked Andreas. "Have you learned your lesson? You know I worry for you and I don't want to see you waste away like you were back in Kirkwall."

"I know, Love," Andreas said, placing a kiss on Leto's forehead. "It's sweet of you to worry so much, but will this…contraption…really be necessary?"

"I warned you of the consequences last time, Amatus," Leto said. "It would not do if I didn't follow-through. Then you won't learn."

"Yes, sir" Andreas sighed.

"Come here," Leto commanded.

Andreas took a deep breath. "Yes, sir."

"Drop your jeans and underwear," Leto instructed. Andreas complied, his cock showing avid interest.

Leto sighed. "You are incorrigible. Get rid of that, without cumming. I'll wait."

Andreas thought for a few minutes and finally his erection began to flag.

"Good boy," Leto praised. He pulled out a metal device from a drawer. It looked very much like a cage designed to fit a cock, and that's exactly what it was. It fit comfortably around Andreas' cock and balls, as long as he was not erect. Leto snapped the device closed and took out a key, locking it in place.

"Please don't lose that key, Love," Andreas said, slipping out of character for a moment.

"I will guard it with my life," Leto smirked, placing it on his key chain.

"But for a whole week?" Andreas pouted fiddling with the cage around his cock. "Any chance of early release for good behavior? I'll promise to be extra good."

Andreas then sank to his knees in front of Leto with a cheeky grin, undoing his lover's belt and jeans, pulling them down and freeing his cock. Andreas kissed and licked the still soft flesh before sucking it into his mouth, slowly working it into hardness. Somehow Leto couldn't find the words to object and slowly carded his fingers through Andreas' hair, loosening the bun and letting his long hair fall around his shoulders.

Leto let Andreas continue to lick and suck his cock until he was close before he pulled away. "I wish to take you. On the bed, now," he growled, his voice full of lust. "Prepare yourself for me."

Andreas smirked. "Yes, sir."

Andreas undressed and grabbed their vial of lube. Getting on all fours he used his fingers to stretch and prepare himself while Leto slowly stroked himself, keeping himself on the edge.

"I'm ready, sir," Andreas said, presenting himself to Leto.

Leto grabbed Andreas' hips and thrust himself in one fluid slide. He would never tire of feeling Andreas' tight heat around his cock. The mere thought of it always sent a thrill up Leto's spine. Deciding he didn't want to draw out Andreas' torture too long, Leto opted to rut into Andreas fast and hard, spilling himself inside his lover in a matter of moments.

Leto collapsed next to Andreas, breathing hard. Andreas curled himself around the elf, placing sweet kisses on his shoulder. Leto smiled and cupped Andreas' face. "You do amaze me, _Amatus_. Allowing me so much control."

Andreas kissed him soft and slow. "That's because I love and trust you. I know I tend to make poor decisions and it feels good to know you're watching out for me."

Leto took a deep breath. "Alright, if you can show me that you've learned your lesson today by being _on-time_ when I come to pick you up over the next _three days_ , I'll let you out of that thing."

"Thank you, Love," Andreas said. "I promise to be good. So how was apartment hunting today?"

"Oh yes," Leto shook his head. "That's what I was looking forward to telling you when I went to pick you up earlier. I found the perfect place for us."

"Ooh, tell me!" Andreas said, sitting up and looking very much like an eager puppy.

Leto described the apartment in relative detail with the exception of one room, which he sort of glossed over. Andreas picked up on it right away. "OK, what are you planning, love?"

Leto let out a dismissive huff. "It's a surprise. You'll find out once we move in. Everything should be ready in about two weeks."

Andreas clapped his hands together excitedly, not unlike a small child during Satinalia. "A surprise? For me? Aww you're so good to me…and I've never gotten you anything."

"Just promise to be good," Leto said with a smile. "That is all I require of you."

Andreas nodded, flinging his arms around the elf. "I'll be extra good now. I don't want you to take away my surprise!"

Leto chuckled and embraced his foolish lover.

"Oh, and before I forget I had some news as well," Andreas said, sitting back. "I was talking to Miranda this afternoon, discussing various options for what I can do in order to run my clinic better. I…I think I might want to try and go to what they call _Medical School_."

"What would that accomplish?" Leto asked.

"Well, I'd have a medical degree and be a licensed doctor," Andreas explained. "Then I would be able to legally treat patients a lot more effectively than I currently can. Especially those with more serious ailments or injuries. It's probably the closest I'll be able to get to being a true healer again."

Leto sighed. "And what would attending this…medical school…entail?"

"I won't lie, it will be a lot of work and it will take me years to complete my studies," Andreas explained. "Miranda said it would take me, probably around eleven to twelve years altogether."

"Twelve years?!" Leto exclaimed. "I can't have you leave me for that long."

Andreas laughed. "I wouldn't be leaving you, Love. There's a university right here in Denver, not far from here actually. Once I learn how to drive I could drive there easily. I'd still be with you every day when I'm not studying or working in the clinic."

"You would still work in the clinic?" Leto asked.

"Well not as much, obviously, but I'd still want to volunteer my time a little bit," Andreas said. "Please, Leto? You know how difficult it's been for me without my magic. This would…be a way for me to get some of that back."

Leto sighed. "Alright, _Amatus_. If this is what you really want. I can see how important it is to you. How soon would you start?"

Andreas kissed Leto on the forehead. "Not for another year. It's too late now and I have to send in applications and take some tests to be accepted into the pre-med program first."

"Alright, that's good. That will give us plenty of time to settle into our new place," Leto said, snuggling against Andreas. "Tomorrow I will go out and search for studio space for my self-defense classes. Henry also wanted to meet for lunch to help me plan what he called my _business model_ , whatever that is."

Andreas smiled. "Look at us, having all these goals and plans. This world has so much more to offer than Thedas ever did." He tangled his fingers with Leto's. "And this world gave me you. You know if I ever saw Merrill again, I'd get on my knees and thank her profusely."

...

At that moment, Merrill was herself kneeling, body wracked with sobs. She was in the space between, the crossroads. She'd been searching for Anders and Fenris for months now and she'd once again fell on her knees in frustration. She'd found no trace of them anywhere. Not even a scrap of a robe or leather. There was _nothing_. How could they have disintegrated so * _completely_.*

Merrill collapsed on the ground, exhausted. She allowed herself to slip into the Fade, to get some much needed rest, to regain her strength to continue her search in the vast, unending landscape between Eluvians.

Once asleep, she began wandering the Fade as she always did, fearing to find the spirits of Anders and Fenris here instead. This night she came upon a new figure, one she hadn't seen in the Fade before. He stood tall, covered in ethereal plate armor. Merrill, ever curious, approached this spirit, not recognizing him for who he was.

The spirit turned and looked down at the slight elf. "Greetings, Blood Mage."

"Hello spirit," Merrill replied. "Might I know the manner of spirit you are?"

"Do you not know me, Merrill?" the spirit replied.

Merrill stared at the spirit, trying to puzzle out where she might have met his like before.

"I am Justice," the spirit finally confessed.

"Justice?!" Merrill said with a gasp. "But…if you're here, then…Anders?"

"I do not know where Anders is," Justice replied. "I just know that when he and Fenris were pulled into your Eluvian, I was cast out of Anders' body and I found myself back in the Fade."

"Oh, no. Then that must mean that Anders…is…" Merrill fell once again to her knees, sobbing.

"No, Merrill, it does not," Justice shook his head. "I did not feel him dying as I was torn from him. Instead I felt him being…pulled. Pulled away from our existence and into another. Into an existence that I could not be a part of. I know he was in much pain, but he is now…elsewhere."

"Where elsewhere?" Merrill asked between sniffles.

"I do not know. Wherever he and Fenris were pulled, it had to do with their combined Fade energies and the taint in your broken Eluvian. It all combined to pull them…elsewhere. It is an elsewhere we cannot follow. That is all I know."

"Thank you, Justice. I am so sorry I caused all this, but at least you're home again," Merrill said, slowly rising to her feet. "I suppose I can end my search now, although it means I can never go back to Kirkwall."

Justice nodded. "I find myself glad to be separated from Anders. I realize now that I was being twisted into a spirit of Vengeance by his fear and hatred of the Templars. What was done to him was…unjust. What we would have done together out of vengeance would have been equally so."

"Thank you again," Merrill said, as she felt herself being pulled from the Fade, waking up again. She rose from the ground and crossed the Crossroads towards one of the Eluvian, making her way back to Thedas and her small camp. Once there she flared the campfire to life with a flick of her wrist, and then pulled out some parchment and a pen. Hawke had told her to never come back, but he hadn't told her she couldn't write to him. She now had much he needed to know.

...

The next afternoon, Leto was touring one of the potential studio spaces for his self-defense classes. He'd had a pleasant lunch with Henry and learned much about how to set up and operate a business. Henry left him with several books on the topic, that hopefully Andreas could help him with. For now he needed to find a space for the business to occupy.

He'd seen several studios already, but none had yet been quite right. The current one he was looking at was in an ideal location, only a couple of blocks from their new apartment. Close enough that Leto could walk, and even better, there was a coffee shop right next door. The space wasn't overly large but it would easily accommodate having about twenty or so students at a time. It had previously been a dance studio, and so the entire studio was open, with one wall covered in mirrors. There was a small private office as well, and a set of bathrooms. The large windows looking out towards the street would allow passers-by to view and observe whatever activity was happening. Yes, this space would do quite nicely.

That evening Leto walked to pick up Andreas from the mission. Leto smiled despite of himself when he saw Andreas waiting for him at the entrance. Right on time. "Good evening, _Amatus_. Thank you for being punctual tonight."

"I'm eager to get this…contraption…off, Love. I told you I'd be good from now on." Andreas said, taking Leto's hand despite the fact they were not in the safest of neighborhoods. They walked back to their small apartment and shared stories of each other's day. Andreas once again expressed an eagerness to see their new apartment and Leto's new studio.

"In two weeks, _Amatus_ , I will bring you home to the new apartment," Leto promised. "Until then you must be patient."

"Yes, Love," Andreas said. "I'll try."


	21. The Play Room

**Author's Note:** With this chapter dom!Fenris (Leto) and sub!Anders (Andreas) enter into a negotiated, and still fully consensual, BDSM relationship. If such themes bother you, please do not read.

...

Andreas was excited as he and Leto approached the new building they had just moved into. Because of his busy schedule at his little clinic, he hadn't had time to go apartment hunting with Leto and so Leto took it upon himself to find the perfect apartment for them both, and to furnish it as well. Andreas didn't much care what kind of furnishings they had so he was happy to allow Leto to do all the decorating. It was just nice to finally be able to afford a larger space.

Holding hands in the elevator the whole way up to the top floor of the building was nice. They were now living in a more upscale, liberal minded neighborhood, and they didn't have to hide their proclivities here nearly as much. In fact they had already seen a few other same-sex couples, both male and female, in the area, which made Andreas feel much more comfortable.

They exited the elevator into a well-lit hallway, tastefully decorated in beiges with black accents. Very stylish. Their apartment was at the end of the corridor. Leto managed to get them into a corner unit where they only had to share one wall with a neighbor.

Once inside, Leto squeezed Andreas' hand. "Come, let me give you the grand tour," he said with a slightly wicked grin. That grin always went straight to Andreas' groin and it made his heart skip a beat.

The first room was the living room, nicely decorated with an overstuffed couch, some tables and a large flat screen TV on the wall. One wall was all made of glass, with a magnificent view of downtown Denver.

The living room and the kitchen flowed together in what was called _open-concept_. It would be good for entertaining guests if they ever decided to invite people over. Leto then led Andreas down the hall and the first door on the right was a guest vanity, just a simple sink and toilet. Continuing on, Leto skipped the next door. "I'm saving that room for last," Leto said, blushing slightly, which piqued Andreas' interest. "It's your surprise."

There were two more rooms. One was set up as an office, with two desks and computer systems, so that they both could spent time on the internet conducting research, or perhaps playing the new video games they had begun to enjoy. This room led to what Leto called a "Jack-and-Jill" bathroom, with two sinks, a toilet and a bathtub with shower. From this bathroom there was another door that led towards the mysterious room that Leto was "saving for last."

The last room was the master suite, and was by far the largest of all the bedrooms. There was a large, very comfortable looking king-sized bed, two night stands, another TV, a large walk-in closet and an even larger master bathroom, with a separate shower, an oversized tub, two sinks and a private commode for the toilet. One thing Andreas noted was that Leto's decorating style was understated with clean lines and simple color combinations, mostly of beiges, browns and blacks, with the slightest hints of red. Andreas approved.

"This place is so luxurious, are you sure we can afford it?" Andreas asked.

"As long as you allow me to manage our funds, then yes, we can easily afford this," Leto acknowledged. "Now shall we see what's in that last room?" Leto's wicked grin was back in full force now.

Andreas just nodded and allowed himself to be led back to that one door they hadn't opened yet. Leto pulled out a key and unlocked it. The fact that the room required a key to get in heightened Andreas' anticipation. The room was completely dark as Leto led Andreas inside. "Are you ready?" Leto whispered into his ear.

"Yes."

Leto flipped the light switch and Andreas gasped. The room was outfitted almost like a torture chamber (or was that pleasure chamber?). There were a myriad of straps, paddles and whips lining the walls, and numerous other things Andreas couldn't even identify yet. The center piece of the room was an oddly shaped bench, adorned with leather straps. The windows in the room were covered with thick, heavy black curtains, which explained was why the room had been so dark.

"Do you have any questions?" Leto asked.

Andreas looked around in wonder. "What is all this?"

Leto grinned even more wickedly. "In this room, I will be your Master in all things. Will you submit?"

Andreas began blushing furiously now. "Leto, you know that I will."

Leto gave Andreas a swat on his rump. "No. Here I am Master. There is no Leto. Will you submit?"

Andreas smiled and sank to his knees. Looking up at Leto he said reverently. "Yes, Master."

"Good," Leto said. "Get up, and let me explain everything you see here, and then we will go back to the living room and talk."

Andreas nodded and Leto explained everything from the spanking bench to all the various paddles, cock rings, anal plugs and other toys he had purchased. Once they had gone over everything and Leto answered Andreas' questions on how some of the items were meant to work, Leto led Andreas back to the living room.

"It pleases me _Amatus_ that you are not too shocked or put off by our new Play Room," Leto said, pulling Andreas in for a tender kiss. "Now I wish to discuss how I wish to use that room."

"Yes, Master," Andreas intoned.

"No, Andreas. I am only Master in that room. Let's make that the first rule, alright? Only in that room do I assume the role of Master and you the role of my submissive slave," Leto said seriously. "In all other aspects of our life, and in all other spaces in this apartment, we are equal."

"Alright, Love," Andreas nodded.

"Now, tell me, were there any things in that room that made you uncomfortable, that you would not have me use?" Leto asked.

Andreas thought for a moment. "Yes. The whips and the blindfolds."

"Why those items?" Leto asked.

"Do you remember what I told you about what happened during my time in solitary confinement when I was at the Circle in Kinloch Hold? Between being trapped in a small dark space most days and then being dragged out to be stripped down to be whipped and raped…" Andreas visibly shuddered at the memory, and Leto felt a pang of sympathy for his lover.

"Alright, the whips and the blindfolds go. Anything else?" Leto asked.

"Try not to do anything that draws blood, and I think I'll be good with everything else. I still have my safe word if anything else bothers me," Andreas replied.

"That reminds me," Leto said and he went back into the Play Room and brought back two small metal balls and handed them to Andreas. "If I decide to gag you, you can use this as your safe word instead. Just drop them on the floor and I will stop."

Andreas took the balls and rolled them around in his hand, feeling the smooth metal surfaces glide across his skin.

"Thanks, that's a great idea," Andreas smiled. "Any other rules?"

"Yes. So the second rule, you will not speak unless I ask you a question, but you may moan and scream as much as you like unless I instruct otherwise," Leto began. "Third rule, do not question my instructions, just comply as quickly as you are able. Use the safe word if you really need to know."

Andreas swallowed and nodded.

"Fourth rule, you will never cum without permission. It is up to my discretion if you shall cum or not. This rule is the only one I wish to extend to outside of the Play Room, if you agree?" Leto said questioningly.

Andreas nodded. "Yes, I agree. Just try and not deny me for too long, please."

"Let that be a rule for me then, I will not deny you release for more than 24 hours," Leto agreed. "If I have not given you permission within 24 hours, you may seek your own release without fear of punishment."

"OK, fair enough," Andreas agreed.

"Finally, another rule for me," Leto said. "I must always give you after care after we're done playing. You may insist upon it if I forget."

Andreas nodded.

"So, let's get some dinner, and then are you up for trying out the Play Room tonight?" Leto asked grinning.

"Yes, Love. I can't wait," Andreas smiled, waggling his eyebrows.

...

After dinner they headed back to their new apartment and Andreas was all atwitter with anticipation, not to mention already incredibly hard. This new Play Room that Leto had put together was beyond his wildest imaginations, and certainly more elaborate than anything he'd ever imagined.

Over dinner Leto had explained about the research he'd done about all the different items he's purchased and the wealth of information for people who lived such a lifestyle, called BDSM in this world. Apparently it was becoming more accepted because of some popular movie, although what Leto had read about the movie made him frown, as it wasn't really a good depiction of how the lifestyle should be approached.

As they approached the Play Room, Leto turned and asked. "Are you sure you're ready? Any last minute questions?"

"No, Love," Andreas shook his head, smiling at him adoringly, kissing Leto tenderly. "I'm just very excited and perhaps a little nervous."

"What's your word?" Leto asked.

"Maleficar."

"Do you have the orbs?"

"Yes," Andreas replied, taking them out of his pocket.

"Good." Leto said, unlocking the Play Room again.

They went inside and Leto closed the door firmly behind him and took a deep breath, a change overcoming his features as he slipped into his Master headspace. Andreas visibly gulped at the transformation as Leto straightened, taking on a more authoritative stance.

"Strip," came the first command.

Andreas complied, quickly removing his t-shirt, jeans, underwear, shoes and socks, folding them neatly in a pile.

Leto nodded approvingly, noting Andreas' already leaking erection. "Kneel," came the next command.

Andreas knelt before Leto, trying to remain still.

"We haven't even truly started and you're already hard," Leto stated. "You're such a naughty slut, slave."

Andreas blushed but said nothing.

"Do you think you will deserve to cum tonight?" Leto asked sternly.

"I will do my best to earn the right to cum, Master," Andreas answered, looking up at his Master's face.

"We shall see," Leto replied, walking over to one of the shelves and selecting a cock ring. "You will wear this tonight, so that you will not cum until I will it. In the future you will learn to control yourself, but since this is our first time in this Play Room I have decided to be merciful."

Andreas merely nodded in acknowledgement. "Be still." Leto commanded as he knelt down and slipped the cock ring in place. It felt tight and constricting right at the base of his cock and Andreas knew it would both keep him hard, and prevent him from cumming.

Next Leto walked over to another shelf and selected a black leather collar, putting it around Andreas' neck, closing it so that it was tight enough to feel, but loose enough so that he could still breathe evenly.

Leto grabbed Andreas' chin firmly and tilted his head to look up at him. "This collar symbolizes my ownership of you within this Play Room. _You are mine_. You are here entirely for my pleasure. I will only allow you pleasure if it pleases me. If I punish you, it may not be for any reason other than because I wish it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master."

"Get up." Leto commanded. "Position yourself on the spanking bench. I would hear you scream."

Andreas' cock twitched noticeably at the words, and he eagerly complied. Andreas was on all fours, with his arse positioned up, presented for whatever punishment his Master chose. Leto then secured his wrists and ankles and clipped his collar in place so that he couldn't turn his head and see what was planned.

"Very good. Now let's see how well you can take your _punishment_ tonight, slave." Leto said with a growl.

First Leto went and selected a large, glass phallic dildo and grabbed some lube. He prepared Andreas a little, dribbling lube over his exposed hole and putting a generous amount on the dildo.

Leto began lining up the large toy. "Remember, no words, but you may make as much noise as you like." He then slowly inserted the toy into Andreas' tight hole until it was fully inserted. Andreas groaned loudly as he felt the stretch and burn of the large, unyielding object.

"Good boy. You like feeling your hole filled and stretched don't you, my little slut," Leto asked obscenely.

"Yes, Master," Andreas moaned.

"Good. I want you ready for me to take you later. I can't wait to pound that tight hole of yours," Leto growled into Andreas' ear.

Next, Leto went and selected a strap and a paddle and made his way again behind Andreas. Andreas' heart was beating fast as he heard Leto moving behind him, and how he gently laid the strap against his arse, causing him to tense.

"Relax," Leto commanded.

Andreas willed himself to relax and then the first crack of the strap connected with his bare flesh. Andreas yelped in surprise, and another blow came down. Soon Leto fell into a rhythm, warming Andreas' flesh with the strap. Andreas' cock twitched and swelled, leaking a small puddle on the floor below the bench. He moaned and grunted at Leto's blows, the mix of the pain of the strap and the pleasure of the spreading warmth intermingled and spread into every fiber of his being.

Leto finally stopped, slowly rubbing his hand over Andreas' arse in soothing circles. "Very good slave. You took that very well."

Andreas' heart swelled at the praise.

"Now let's see how well you take the paddle," Leto said menacingly. "Have you ever been paddled before, slave?"

"No, Master," Andreas replied somewhat nervously.

"Good. Let's see how beautifully you scream," Leto said wickedly.

The first blow of the paddle landed and Andreas did indeed scream. That _hurt_. Yet the spreading warmth was deeper, almost more intimate than the strap, and Andreas groaned at the sensation before screaming as the next blow fell. So the rhythm went, a hard smack followed by a scream and a groan, again and again until Andreas' arse was a deep red and burning as if he had sat on a fireball.

Finally Leto ceased, as Andreas breathed raggedly, his face wet with tears that had streamed unbidden down his face.

"You pleased me greatly tonight _slave_. You screamed so beautifully for me," Leto purred. He put away the strap and the paddle and came back to remove the toy still sitting flush within Andreas ass. "I will take my pleasure from you now, slave. I will fill your ass with my cum."

Andreas groaned at Leto's words, angling his hips to receive his Master's cock. "So eager, aren't you little slut? Just can't wait for me to fill your hole with my cock, can you?"

Andreas nodded, unsure if he should respond to rhetorical questions.

Leto spanked Andreas' sensitive flesh hard. "Answer me, slave."

"Yes, Master. I am eager Master. I love feeling you fill me with your cock Master."

"That's better," Leto said, before lining himself up with Andreas eagerly awaiting hole. Leto thrust in to the hilt, not giving Andreas time to adjust, and then began pounding him hard.

"You're always so hot and tight, slave. It's like your ass was made for my cock, and my cock alone. Isn't that right, slave? Whose cock does your ass belong to?" Leto grunted as he thrust in into Andreas hard and fast.

"Ungh…yours, Master. My ass…belongs…only to…you," Andreas moaned between thrusts.

Leto slowed his thrusts. "You have been such a good slave today, it would please me to feel you cum around my cock." He then reached around and slowly removed the cock ring that had been holding back Andreas' ability to orgasm, before pounding into the man again, smacking his hips against Andreas' tender backside.

Leto then reached around with his one hand that still had a thin sheen of lube on it, and began stroking Andreas. "Cum for me slave. I want to feel you cum. Now."

It didn't take more than another firm stroke and Andreas came, _hard_ , bucking in his restraints and clenching his ass down hard on the intrusion of Leto's cock, screaming his release.

Leto grabbed Andreas' hips in a bruising grip and pushed past the clench, and thrust hard and deep again and again and then finally groaned his release as he stilled and pumped his seed deep inside Andreas.

Leto and Andreas were both panting from the exertion and Leto's legs felt somewhat unstable after that amazing orgasm. He swiftly began to undo Andreas' restraints and removed his collar.

"You were so good, my slave. Come, let's leave our Play Room," Leto coaxed Andreas up and helped him to the door.

Once outside the room, Andreas grabbed Leto by the shoulders and pushed him up against the hallway wall. Leto had a brief look of fear in his eyes, until Andreas bent down to kiss him with every ounce of passion he could muster.

"Thank you, Love. That was amazing," Andreas smiled down at the elf. "I'm so glad I fell in love with such a kinky elf."

Leto cupped his lover's face, wiping over the tracks of his earlier tears. "Was that alright? I didn't hurt you too much?"

"No, Love. You hurt me just the right amount. It was _perfect_ ," Andreas smiled and kissed him tenderly again. "Now, want to try out that bath tub?"


	22. Playing Dragon Age

The weekend after they'd moved into their new apartment, Leto and Andreas had their friends over for what Henry called a _house warming party_ and everyone brought them a little something to celebrate their new home. Mostly bottles of wine. Henry and Miranda of course attended, along with Casey, and Henry's group of friends, Derrick, John, Dave and Chris.

Andreas made lasagna and they broke open the bottles of wine and sat around the living room chatting amiably. Henry's friends still stared at Leto and Andreas, marveling how easy and comfortable they were with each other, such a contrast to how they were back in Kirkwall.

Henry's friend Derrick prodded them both. "Come on, have one of your _mage rights_ arguments. Please?!"

Leto and Andreas blush and look at each other. Then Andreas recalled one of their many arguments. "Ooh I remember one. Follow my lead, Love."

Andreas cleared his throat and tried to speak seriously. "So, there must be mages in Tevinter that don't use blood magic."

Leto forced his face into a scowl. "Of course. There are slaves. The magisters do not hesitate to collar their own kind." He took note of a slight shiver that went through Andreas at the word _collar_.

Andreas countered. "But no magisters?"

"Why must you go on about this? No magister would turn down an advantage over his rivals. If he did, he'd be dead," Leto said, frustration building in his voice.

Andreas turned to Leto then. "You know, to use blood magic you must look a demon in the eye and accept his offer," Andreas argued. "I just figured some of them would say no. For aesthetic reasons, if nothing else."

Then the pair of them burst out laughing. Andreas had tears in his eyes. "I can't believe I'd actually said that, but I know I did. Oh Maker, we were ridiculous weren't we?"

"Speak for yourself, _Amatus_ ," Leto said fondly, placing a kiss on Andreas' cheek.

Henry and his friends were laughing as well, while Miranda and Casey just looked at each other and shrugged, obviously missing the entire joke.

Then Henry stood. "Before I completely forget, I have some more presents for you guys. Hey Derrick, Dave and Chris, care to give me a hand?"

The men walked out, leaving a very puzzled Leto and Andreas. While they waited they refreshed Miranda, Casey and John's glasses of wine.

"What was that all about?" Miranda asked.

"Leto and I used to argue _all the time_ back in Kirkwall," Andreas shrugged. "Partly because of our pasts, partly because we didn't want the other one to know we were attracted to each other."

Miranda chuckled. "That's actually, kind of adorable."

Just then the others returned, carrying computers and monitors. "I know you already have some computers, but they really aren't the best for gaming," Henry explained. "I also pre-loaded these with the Dragon Age games so you get a chance to experience them for yourselves."

"You are far too generous, Henry," Leto admonished playfully, showing them the way back towards their office. Henry quickly hooked them up and got the two computers running, showing Leto and Andreas how to access the Dragon Age games.

"Hey, Miranda and Casey," Henry called out towards the living room. "Come take a look at this."

When the two made their way back towards the office, Henry was seated in front of one of the computer monitors and had a YouTube video queued up. "Look at this, these are the arguments between Leto and Andreas back when they lived in Kirkwall. They also went by the names Fenris and Anders then as well."

They all watched the various sequences until at one point the coat _Anders_ wore in the video changed to black.

"Hey wait a minute," Andreas said. "I never had a black coat like that."

Henry paused the video. "Oh, sorry, that's right. You both were transported here before the third act of the game."

"So that…would have been my future self?" Andreas asked "This must be close to when I'm supposed to have blown up the Chantry?"

Henry nodded. "Do you want to watch the rest?"

Andreas nodded. After a few more sequences, the banter began to get more personal and there was an implication of _Fenris_ having been intimate with Hawke. Then about Anders having replaced Fenris as Hawke's lover. Both Andreas and Leto were blushing over these revelations, even knowing some of this from what Henry had told them.

"I…I guess if we'd stayed, neither of us would ever have had the guts to admit our attraction towards each other," Andreas said, pulling Leto in a brief embrace. "I am so very glad we went through that Eluvian."

"So you don't regret having a chance with Hawke?" Leto asked teasingly.

"Not one bit," Andreas said easily.

"Alright break it up you two," Henry teased. "You can play with each other later."

Andreas and Leto blushed again. "Oh, yeah, sorry about that," Andreas apologized. "Why don't we all head back out to the living room?"

As they all passed the Play Room, Casey spoke up. "What's in this room? It's the only one you haven't shown us. You don't have like a torture chamber or something that you're hiding, do you?" Casey laughed loudly at his own suggestion.

Leto and Andreas both blushed several deeper shades of red at the question. "Well, um…"Andreas tried to come up with an explanation and his mind blanked.

An awkward silence fell over the group. After a few moments Casey mumbled an apology. "Um…I'm sorry I asked…never mind."

They all returned to the living room and Leto offered everyone another glass of wine, which everyone gratefully accepted.

"So, when are you opening your studio, Leto?" Miranda began, breaking the awkward silence.

Grateful for the change in topic Leto explained what all had yet to be done and said he hoped to be open within a month.

"Oh and has Miranda told you yet?" Andreas asked Henry. "I've decided to go to medical school."

"That's wonderful news! Will you be going to the university over in Aurora?" Henry asked.

Andreas nodded. "Yeah, by the time I start next Fall I should have a car and hopefully can get there in fifteen minutes or so."

Chris spoke up. "You know how many years that'll take you to do?"

Andreas nodded. "Yes. I expect at least twelve years. But since I don't have to worry about the Calling, demons or darkspawn anymore, I think I'll be able to manage."

As everyone finished their wine, they slowly began making motions to leave. "Have fun playing Dragon Age. Let me know what you think about it," Henry said with a wink as he closed the door, leaving the two of them alone again.

Andreas busied himself clearing up the dishes and loading them into their dishwasher as Leto made his way back towards the office. They both agreed if they were going to play, they would play together to compare notes.

Once Andreas was done in the Kitchen he made his way back towards the office, and sat himself behind his new computer. "So, we should start with Origins first, right?"

Leto nodded. "Agreed. That would be prudent as the events during the fifth blight affect the events in Kirkwall. Should we try to recreate the Hero of Ferelden from what we know about her, or should we make our own?"

"Well since I actually met her, why don't I make her, and you can create whoever you like?" Andreas suggested. Leto nodded his assent.

As they began to play the game they were both shocked by the violent pasts each of their characters had. Andreas had no idea what Elissa Cousland had lived through before her recruitment into the Grey Wardens, and seeing the betrayal by Arl Rendon Howe and the murder of the entire Cousland family was shocking.

Leto was equally shocked by what unfolded for the male city elf he chose to create, watching the human nobles drag away his character's supposed bride to be gang raped. In that moment Leto realized that the elves in the alienages truly weren't better off than the slaves in Tevinter and that people in power, mages or not, would always take advantage of those less fortunate. Once again Leto felt shame over not having listened to Andreas' arguments.

After both reaching Ostagar within the game, they decided to turn in for the night. "I had no idea that the Warden-Commander had been through so much tragedy. Dealing with the fifth Blight was bad enough, but to see her entire family murdered? It's no wonder she personally wanted to kill Arl Howe, and why Vigil's Keep was gifted to the Wardens. Even Nathaniel's reactions. It all makes so much more sense now."

"Who was this…Nathaniel?" Leto asked curiously.

"Oh, he was the son of Arl Rendon Howe. He was in the Free Marches during the Fifth Blight and returned soon after the Archdemon was defeated. He tried to sneak into Vigil's Keep, his family's former home, right after the Darkspawn attack. I think he was planning to murder the Warden-Commander, but in the end she conscripted him instead," Andreas explained. "I…may also have had a little…crush on him."

" _Andreas_ " Leto said with a warning growl.

"Sorry, shutting up now," Andreas said with a grin.

"Good boy," Leto said. "Now let's get ready for bed."

"Don't you want to talk about your character's origins?" Andreas asked.

"No, not tonight," Leto said. "It was very…disturbing. I need time to process it."

"Alright, Love," Andreas said, pulling Leto in for a quick embrace.

After their nightly ablutions they went straight to sleep, Andreas curling around Leto protectively, sensing the elf needed comforting.

The next morning Andreas awoke to an empty bed, which was highly unusual. He rose and went to look for Leto, finding him in the office playing Dragon Age with a tear streaked face.

"Hey, Leto, what's wrong?" Andreas asked.

Leto got up and launched himself into Andreas' arms. "They're dead. They're all dead!" Leto sobbed.

Andreas pulled Leto closer to him, trying to calm him with soothing words. "Remember, Love, it is just a game after all."

"But…what if it isn't? We're real after all, aren't we? Weren't we part of this game? This did happen…the Battle at Ostagar happened. Even the slaves heard about it in Tevinter. I just…didn't realize how much it would impact me to see it." Leto confessed.

"Come on, let me make us some breakfast and let's talk," Andreas suggested, leading Leto out of the office.

As Andreas made breakfast Leto sat silent, nursing a cup of coffee. He then picked at his food haphazardly. Andreas reached out and took Leto's hand. "Hey, talk to me, Love."

"I'm sorry, this is all affecting me more than it probably should," Leto confessed. "I know when we spoke with Mr. Gaider, there was a very real possibility that we are the result of some very special circumstances, and that the games we're playing now really are just games. Yet it relates to our histories, our pasts, and I feel connected to it. Knowing that in our reality the same events very likely took place. Yet since we know that Elissa Cousland became the Hero of Ferelden in our _reality_ , what became of Darrian Tabris? If Duncan didn't recruit him, he surely would have been imprisoned or executed."

Andreas nodded. "Well considering all the other character possibilities, all of them may have met tragic ends because of the specific character we chose to create. In your game, Elissa probably wound up dead along with the rest of her family."

Leto shuddered.

"I have an idea," Andreas said. "Why don't we just play the one game? We could take turns if you like or you can just watch as I play Elissa. Maybe that will be less traumatic?"

Leto nodded. "I think you're right. We don't both have to play through this nightmare."

"That's the spirit!" Leto said laughing, trying to change the mood.

They each poured another cup of coffee and headed back into their office. Leto shut his game down and moved his chair so he could watch Andreas playing instead. He left off right before the Battle of Ostagar so he continued from there.

Andreas tried to remember as many details as he could about Elissa's quest to end the Blight in Ferelden, and the rest he guessed at based upon what he knew of her and what kind of choices she would make.

He played through Lothering, recruiting Leliana and Sten, much to Morrigan's disdain, and moved on to Redcliffe where Alistair confessed his royal birthright to Elissa. Andreas and Leto knew exactly who Alistair was and that came as no surprise, although the self-deprecating young man that he was at this stage in his life did come as somewhat of a surprise. It was quite different from the confident man and ruler he'd later become.

They decided to take a break once they'd saved Lothering from the undead army, Andreas realizing their next stop would have to be the Circle of Magi in order to enlist the mages for help to save Connor, which is what Andreas knew Elissa would have done. Leto was in favor of just killing the poor child outright, but Andreas wouldn't hear of it, and Elissa wouldn't have made that choice.

"So why don't they do this for all possessed mages? Why couldn't this have been done to separate you from Justice?" Leto asked.

Andreas sighed. "Because it takes a large group of mages and a lot of lyrium, if you want to avoid blood magic, for one, and in my case Justice was physically removed from the Fade, he wasn't possessing me remotely from the Fade like most demons do."

"Well let's take a break and make some dinner," Leto suggested. "I am curious what we will find in this Circle of yours."

"Well I can tell you what we'll find, if it's the Hero of Ferelden entering the tower at Kinloch Hold," Andreas said. "That's when the tower was overtaken by Uldred and his blood mages."

Leto felt a shiver run through him. "We'd heard about that all the way in Tevinter. How did you escape all that?"

"Well you remember how many times I'd escaped," Andreas shrugged. "Uldred rebelled sometime after my seventh, and last, escape from the Circle. It was during the Fifth Blight and I managed to elude the Templars for a lot longer than I had previously and they didn't catch up to me again until after the Archdemon was slain."

Leto nodded. "That's right I remember now. That's when you were recruited into the Grey Wardens. I wonder if we'll see that in the game?"

Andreas shrugged. "Probably. I guess we'll find out. Now let's go have some dinner? We have lots of lasagna leftover."

Andreas and Leto headed back out towards the kitchen and had dinner, washing the lasagna down with some more wine.

After dinner Andreas and Leto agreed to run through the Circle of Magi before going to bed. It was strangely addicting to revisit the Thedas of the past like this.

Entering into the tower and seeing Knight-Commander Greagoir again made Andreas breath hitch.

Leto placed a hand on Andreas' shoulder. "Breathe, _Amatus_. Was he one of your tormentors?"

Andreas shook his head. "No, but he may as well have been. He turned a blind eye to everything that was happening under his command."

Next they met the mage Wynn as they made their way into the tower. Andreas was grateful to have a better healer on his team, sending Morrigan off into whatever limbo she went into when she wasn't in the active party.

"I remember Wynne quite fondly," Andreas explained to Leto. "When it was discovered I was a Spirit Healer, she took me under her wing to help me develop my magic. Spirit Healers are rare enough to actually be valued. It's probably the only reason they even allowed me to even make it to my Harrowing."

"Valued enough not to be made tranquil, but not so valued as to leave you unmolested?" Leto said with a slight growl.

"Well you see, Spirit Healers are the best mages to molest, because we can heal and hide all evidence of the abuse," Andreas said coldly. "I don't doubt Wynne suffered her own share of indignities when she was younger."

Andreas guided his version of Elissa through the tower, solving various riddles along the way, and fighting ever increasing hordes of blood mages, demons and abominations. When they reached the sloth demon near the top of the tower Andreas nearly had a panic attack, and Leto had to help him think strategically through how to solve the Fade puzzle that would lead them to the demon where they could finally defeat it. The entire place was an endless nightmare and it required Leto's strategic thinking along with Andreas' knowledge of the Fade to finally complete it.

The final part was to get up to the Harrowing Chamber and stop Uldred. Before they could they ran into poor Cullen, tormented and trapped behind some kind of magical barrier. Andreas felt a deep pang of guilt seeing Cullen like that.

"Oh Maker," Andreas said. "I knew he'd been the lone survivor of the tower but I had no idea how much he'd been tortured. I feel bad for snubbing him in Kirkwall like I did. He was always one of the nice Templars in the Circle."

"You couldn't have known, Amatus," Leto reassured him. "I am just glad you did indeed escape before all this happened, or you may not have come out of this alive."

Andreas nodded. "You're very likely right about that."

Andreas then sent Elissa and her companions into the Harrowing Chamber to deal with Uldred, saving as many mages as he could in the process.

When it was all over and they had secured the help of the Mages to save Connor, Andreas and Leto were both exhausted.

"Come, Amatus," Leto urged Andreas. "Let's go take a shower and go to bed. We both have work tomorrow."

Andreas nodded, letting Leto lead him to their master suite.

They kept playing through Dragon Age: Origins in the evenings and weekends until they completed it. Andreas was a little embarrassed for Leto to see him in the Awakenings expansion, prior to being joined with Justice.

Leto was startled at first. "Why…does your voice sound like Cullen's?"

Andreas blushed. "Oh…well…my voice changed after merging with Justice. Back in the Circle they used to tease us because we sounded so alike that they thought we must be related."

While they kept playing in the evenings and weekends, during the day they both continued their work. Andreas was gaining quite a reputation as a healer among the local homeless population and his clinic was always busy, not unlike his Darktown clinic in Kirkwall. He never could turn away a patient and it was good that the mission closed at 8pm, which forced Andreas to quit. Now that they lived farther away, Andreas took a taxi home instead of waiting for Leto to walk him, which gave him a little bit of leeway in terms of when he arrived home. Soon he planned to take the driver's test so he could buy a car and get himself around more easily.

Playing Dragon Age 2 was quite a trip for them. Seeing Kirkwall, Hawke, Merrill, Varric, themselves and the rest of the gang was a bit nerve wracking. Once they played that game to its ultimate conclusion Andreas was beaming a bit. "See, I told you Knight-Commander Meridith was insane. The red lyrium just amplified it."

Leto had to agree that Meredith's erratic behavior was clearly enhanced by the red lyrium, and that her extreme paranoia was enough to push so many mages towards blood magic out of sheer desperation. He felt more guilt over his long hatred of mages.

Once they completed Dragon Age 2, they moved on to the newest game, Inquisition. They were surprised to find Varric and Cullen in the game but it was nice to have two familiar faces. Andreas had decided to play out a romance with himself in Dragon Age 2, and it was amusing to talk to Varric about his supposed whereabouts.

Andreas immediately took a liking to Dorian, and since he had created a male character in the game started to flirt with the Tevinter mage, which caused Leto to threaten _punishment_. In the end, Andreas won out, saying it was an integral part of the experience of the game and that he really didn't like Cassandra or Josephine as a romantic interest, and the Iron Bull just scared him. Leto had to agree and finally relented and allowed Andreas to let his Inquisitor to pursue a romantic relationship with Dorian. In the end Leto decided that perhaps not all Tevinter mages were bad.

It was a bit of a shock to see Hawke again in the game as well and Andreas easily chose the Warden Stroud to be sacrificed when they found themselves trapped physically in the Fade.

Everything that was ultimately revealed once they played through all the expanded content seemed quite disturbing. Leto wasn't sure how he felt about it all, especially since he was an elf. Finding out the truth about Solas, and about the Ancient Elves really shook Leto to the code. On the other hand Andreas was in awe over some of the final revelations.

However, at least they now knew the past, present and future of Thedas and it did help them find a sense of closure they hadn't even realized they were longing for.


	23. Leto's Punishment

It had been several weeks since they'd finished playing through the Dragon Age games. Leto was still shaken by it all and was a bit more touchy than usual. He lost patience with Andreas more often than not and the poor man walked around with a sore ass almost daily. Not that he minded. It felt good to be reminded that he belonged to someone. That someone actually cared about him.

There was a marked difference between being punished by someone that loved you, and by someone who despised you. Andreas remembered the whippings he'd received at the Circle, especially whenever he was dragged back after one of his many escape attempts. Those punishments were intentionally cruel, often leaving him bloody. Sometimes they were so bad he'd mercifully pass out, but then they would just douse him with icy cold water to revive him before continuing the beatings.

In comparison, Leto's spanks and paddles were gentle and loving, and always incredibly arousing. Leto was always careful to never break skin or cause injury. Andreas knew that, after having spent so many years in slavery that it was Leto's way of dealing with the psychological scars that slavery had left behind. Leto craved control where he had none for so much of his life, while Andreas craved submission. Since being separated from Justice, Leto now gave him the stability and guidance he now almost desperately needed. Without Leto, Andreas may not have been able to cope with the loss of his magic and Justice as well as he'd had.

...

When Andreas wasn't busy in the clinic, he began to make use of the local library that was close to their apartment, only a ten minute walk away. He'd often be seen carrying armloads of books to and from the library. Even back in the Circle Andreas had been a voracious reader, finding an escape by reading through all the tomes in the Circle library.

Andreas began by reading whatever medical books he could find, but then began to branch out, researching a number of different science fields. One he felt particularly interested in was physics, as it explained a lot about the properties of things like electricity, fire and ice. Having once been a mage and having at his command the ability to "throw lightening at fools," he now wanted to understand more about such forces.

Leto rarely accompanied Andreas to the library, still embarrassed by his poor reading skills. He was improving and Andreas patiently worked with him whenever the elf was in the mood to learn, but Andreas knew Leto felt ashamed that at his age he still struggled with reading.

Andreas didn't want to embarrass him further by getting children's books for the elf, so he tried to find other works that were easier to read, but weren't intended for children necessarily. Part of the problem was that Leto often lost interest in a book half-way through and he often returned books half-read to the library. Andreas consoled himself with the fact that at least Leto was trying.

...

Early one evening found Andreas pacing the living room for what seemed like the thousandth time, his eyes grazing the clock on the wall at each pass. His heart was clenched, his stomach was in knots. He was wracked with worry.

Leto was now five hours late and he wasn't answering his phone. The elf had wanted to stretch his legs after breakfast and had offered to take Andreas' latest stack of completed books back to the library. Leto generally never lingered long in at the library, but it was possible he'd gone for a longer walk after dropping off the books. However, Leto had never been gone this long without at least letting Andreas know.

Even if Leto had decided to then take a walk in the park, or go over to the Cherry Creek Mall, he should have still been home by now. Andreas kept second guessing himself. Should he go out and look for Leto? What if he was alright and they missed each other? What if he lay dying in a gutter?

Just as Andreas was about to make another turn in the living room he heard a rattle at the door and a sound of a key being inserted, and Leto came in, carrying an armful of…books?

"Hey! You'll never guess what I …" Leto began, with an uncharacteristic grin on his face.

Andreas interrupted him, his worry and anger erupting. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS?!"

Leto was startled by the ferocity of Andreas' words. He had never seen him this angry. At least not without turning into a crackling blue abomination.

"I told you…I was going to the library," Leto replied indicating the books in his arms.

"Do you have any idea how long you've been gone?" Andreas asked, still angry, but not yelling anymore, tears threatening to spill.

"I…I…guess I lost track of time, I'm sorry," Leto apologized.

"You've been gone for over five damned hours. You never spend that long in the library," Andreas said. "I kept picturing you being jumped by a gang of thugs, lying broken and bleeding in a gutter somewhere."

Leto put down his books on the coffee table. "Andreas, I am sorry. I truly did lose track of time."

"I kept trying to call, and you weren't answering either," Andreas said emotion cracking in his voice. "I was _so worried_."

"I'm sorry, I kept the phone on mute in the library. There's a sign that says you should, so I did." Leto explained.

"That's still no excuse for making me worry," Andreas said gruffly. "You could have texted me…or… _something_."

"Andreas… _Amatus_ …what can I do to make it up to you?" Leto asked, giving his best impression of a puppy dog with his eyes.

Andreas stood thinking for a moment, took a deep breath and then walked over to the elf holding out his hand. "Give me the key."

Leto looked confused for a moment.

"You deserve punishment. Give. Me. The. Key," Andreas said sternly.

Now he understood. Andreas had never insisted on actually punishing him for anything before. Yes, they'd played around and Leto occasionally let Andreas spank him, when the mood struck. However it was always Leto that insisted on actual punishments in their relationship. Not that Andreas ever seemed to mind.

Now Leto stood before Andreas, feeling small and vulnerable. He hadn't felt this vulnerable since...not since he'd been a slave in Tevinter all those long years ago.

At first Leto wanted to protest, but he stopped himself. If Leto had been in Andreas' place? If Andreas had come home late and made him worry? Leto would have dragged Andreas to their Play Room without so much as a word and beaten the poor man black and blue. Leto realized he deserved no less.

Leto fished the key for the Play Room out of his pocket and handed it to Andreas, keeping his eyes to the ground and affecting a more submissive posture. A posture he'd learned well in the house of Danarius.

Andreas led Leto to the Play Room, opening the door and letting Leto go inside first. Once in, Andreas closed the door firmly. Leto felt butterflies in this stomach, truly fearing what was to come.

"Strip." Andreas said simply, and Leto obeyed.

"Tell me, if you were in my place, what punishment would you mete out?" Andreas asked plainly.

Leto swallowed. Andreas knew he wouldn't be lenient and he can't hold back a tremble of fear as he realized how harsh he would be in Andreas' place.

"I would have you take your place on the bench. I would then give you fifteen lashes from the strap, ten hard blows from the paddle and five from the cane," Leto replied weakly.

"What else?" Andreas asked. Of course, Andreas knew Leto wouldn't have stopped there.

"Then I would leave you alone for 1 hour to contemplate your actions," Leto replied, quickly adding. "With the lights on of course." Leto knew never to leave Andreas alone in a dark room, because of the horrific year in solitary confinement that he'd spent at Kinloch Hold.

Andreas seemed satisfied with that. "Go select the implements you would use."

Leto walked to the shelves that held all of the various toys and implements they used in this room. He selected the strap, paddle and cane he would have chosen as punishment and brought them to Andreas, who set them aside on the table next to the spanking bench.

"Position yourself on the bench." Andreas said sternly.

Leto complied, trembling slightly. Leto knew he didn't have to go through any of this. They both had their safe words and Leto trusted Andreas that if he used his, this would end. This could end now if he said it, but Leto knew that Andreas would bear this punishment if it had been him. Andreas always bore his punishments, almost always gladly. Leto felt as if he could do no less.

Andreas began to tighten the buckles around Leto's wrists and ankles, securing him to the bench. Andreas picked up the strap Leto had selected. "I will be giving you the punishment you said you would find appropriate for this transgression. The first fifteen lashes with the strap will be for losing track of time."

Andreas began the punishment, laying the strap on hard, not giving any quarter. Leto cried out as each lash hit home, leaving a red welt in its wake. Leto began to have flashbacks of Danarius meting out punishments like this, although he'd been secured by magic, not leather straps. Also Danarius would hit until he broke skin and Leto's back was often bleeding profusely at the end. Leto doubted that Andreas would ever take it that far.

Still, the lashes hurt, and near the end he was sobbing. "I'm sorry. Andreas, I'm so sorry!"

Once the fifteenth lash hit, Andreas stopped, and laid the strap back on the table. He gave Leto a moment to catch his breath before picking up the paddle. Andreas had never used the paddle on Leto yet. In their play he'd only ever spanked him with an open hand, or used a strap. Even Danarius had never used a wooden paddle and Leto trembled visibly now.

"These 10 blows with the paddle are for you not calling or at least leaving your phone on vibrate so I could reach you," Andreas said with an edge of anger and pain creeping back into his voice.

Andreas swung the paddle and connected with Leto's already reddened arse. Leto cried out in agony. Leto had sustained many injuries in his years at a warrior, but the adrenaline of battle made them tolerable until Andreas had had the chance to heal them. This pain was bringing back more memories of when Danarius was punishing him. He'd always tried to be a good slave, to please his master, but there were days when Danarius was in a mood and it seemed that everything Leto did was wrong. It were those days that Leto had feared the most. Those were the days when he was almost guaranteed to be punished harshly, no matter what he did.

Andreas kept the blows coming in a regular rhythm and Leto just sobbed, unable to even voice an apology now. By the time Andreas was done, the elf's backside was a deep red.

Leto was breathing harshly now, wondering how he could ever think to do this to Andreas. Yet he knew he would have.

"These last five with the cane are for making me worry so damned much," Andreas said, emotion dripping from his voice.

Leto braced himself. If the paddle had hurt that much, he was terrified of how much the cane would hurt.

When the first stroke of the cane hit, Leto screamed. His mind went immediately back to Tevinter and he was a slave once again, being brutally punished. Even as the second stroke hit Leto was screaming. "No! Please! Master Danarius, please! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

As soon as Andreas heard the name, he dropped the cane. "Shit."

Andreas immediately unbuckled Leto from the bench and gathered the sobbing elf into his arms. "Leto, hey, come back to me, Love. It's alright. You're safe." Leto curled up into his embrace like a child and sobbed.

Andreas carried the elf out of the Play Room and into their bedroom, lying him gently onto the bed. He went to get the salve they used after their Play Room sessions and began to gently massage it into the elf's tender rump. Andreas wished for his healing magic now more than ever, but there was nothing to be done about that.

Instead he just curled himself around Leto and whispered words of love and forgiveness, kissing him tenderly, holding him in a loving embrace. Leto remained somewhat catatonic for nearly an hour, whimpering, mumbling words of apology, and Andreas worried all over again. This was his fault and he knew it. He should have known that a harsh punishment would bring back Leto's past traumas. He had just been so angry. He'd never been so angry at Leto before. He'd never wanted to punish Leto before, and now he probably would never want to again.

Finally Leto seemed to come out of it. "Andreas? What happened?"

"I'm so sorry Love," Andreas wept with relief. "I didn't mean to trigger your memories. I didn't mean to…I'm sorry."

Leto's eyes went wide when he recalled what had happened. "No, Andreas, I'm the one who is sorry. I didn't mean to worry you like I did. I deserved to be punished. I didn't realize what the punishment was doing to me until it was too late."

"That's no excuse, Love. I should have known better," Andreas said. "Now, I'm the one who deserves to be punished. I was afraid I'd lost you tonight."

Leto pulled him close. "I think there has been quite enough _punishment_ around here for one day, what do you think?"

Andreas nodded.

"In fact," Leto continued. "I think in the future, we'll only use the Play Room for play. No more punishments. If one of us fucks up, we talk about it, yell at each other, have make-up sex. Like normal people."

"Since when are we normal?" Andreas chuckled, kissing Leto softly. "But…we _will_ still play in there occasionally, right?"

Leto smiled. "Yes, _Amatus_. I know how much you enjoy such play. We will still play, but only when we're both in a good mood."

"So, what kept you so enthralled at the library that you lost track of time?" Andreas asked, remembering what started all this in the first place.

"Let me show you," Leto said, getting up. He came back cradling the books he'd brought back with him. "I found these books. They call them graphic novels. I find I quite like them. They are a lot less boring than the kinds of books you read."

Andreas looked at them, with their colorful pages of drawings. In fact they were mostly drawings, with few words. "They look perfect for you, Love. Shall we read one together?"

"Yes, I'd like that," Leto said smiling.

They settled against the pillows and spent the next few hours cuddled together, reading Leto's new books, until they fell asleep in each other's arms.


	24. Reunions

Winter had descended upon the City of Denver, and the streets were covered by a few inches of soft snow, making the world eerily quiet. Andreas was driving them both to the mission that day. Leto still offered his self-defense training for free there twice each week. They were both bundled into their new winter clothes and Leto was grateful for the warm socks and boots Andreas bought him.

It had been an adjustment, wearing shoes in this world, after he'd gone practically his entire life barefoot. He wasn't entirely sure why the stone and rocks and even snow hadn't affected him in Thedas, but it certainly affected him here.

Leto finished his work earlier than Andreas, so he stayed around the clinic to help out until the mission closed for the day. He'd gotten good at rolling bandages and playing nurse to Andreas' _doctor._ As the last patient left, Leto also helped Andreas put everything away for the night.

"Thanks for your help again, Love," Andreas said as they turned off the lights, locking the clinic door. "You know if you just learned how to drive you wouldn't have to get stuck here helping me."

Leto shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind helping, and I'm still terrified of those…horseless carriages."

Andreas chuckled, putting his arm around Leto's shoulder. "It's difficult to imagine you being terrified of anything, my strong, brave warrior."

Leto huffed at that, leaning into the embrace as they made their way outside.

It was bitter cold out and they hurried towards the car. Unfortunately, it was so cold that the interior of the car didn't start to warm up until they were parked in their reserved spot in their building's parking garage.

Leto now had a new ritual every time they came home on a cold night. He headed straight for the kitchen after taking off his coat, hat, gloves and scarf, and popped in a hot apple cider k-cup into their new Keurig _coffee-maker_. He loved the hot apple cider almost more than he loved apples in general.

Andreas went to the office to check his email. "Hey, Leto, come here!" he called after a few moments.

Leto hurried down the hall, cradling the cup of hot apple cider in his hands. "What is it?"

Andreas pointed at his computer. "I got an email from David Gaider! They found the player and the computer where we probably came from! It says here he will be in Colorado to meet the young lady in Denver this weekend, and he's asked us to join him."

"That's wonderful news!" Leto said, hugging Andreas.

...

The weekend arrived bright and cold. A fresh layer of snow blanketed everything. Andreas and Leto enjoyed a rare morning of sleeping in and remaining cuddled with each other under the covers in bed. Their apartment was warm, but Leto always shivered when he saw the snow outside their window. Andreas just pulled him into a warm embrace and held him until he was ready to get up and make them both a cup of hot coffee.

Andreas left their warm blankets after a few moments and soon brought back 2 steaming cups of coffee. He burrowed himself back under the blankets with Leto, who began contently sipping his hot beverage.

"I'm curious as to what we'll find out today," Andreas murmured, kissing the top of Leto's head.

Leto huffed. "I'm sure it will involve something technical or science-y that I won't understand."

"Aww don't say that," Andreas pulled Leto onto his lap. "You may not have been educated as a child, but that doesn't mean you aren't intelligent. If you don't understand something, it's simply because of a lack of knowledge. There's a lot in this world I still don't understand, and probably never will."

Leto curled into Andreas' embrace. "I know, you're right. It's just frustrating sometimes."

"I know, Love," Andreas said softly, tilting Leto's chin up for a kiss. "Mmm coffee tastes good on you," Andreas hummed before diving in for a deeper kiss. "Ooh I know how I can cheer you up…" Andreas said, a wicked gleam sparkling in his eye. "We haven't used the Play Room in a while."

Leto seemed to perk up at the mention of the Play Room. "You're right, we haven't. Feeling naughty are you?" Leto said with a wicked grin breaking out on his face.

"Very naughty," Andreas nodded. "Care to… _put me in my place_?"

Leto chuckled. "You're already where you belong, _Amatus_ , in my heart. But I'd be happy to warm your backside for you nonetheless."

They made their way into the Play Room. A new addition to the room was a chair that Leto sometimes used for over-the-lap spankings. Leto still played the dominant, but he dispensed with the _Master/slave_ roles after the unfortunate incident when Andreas had attempted to punish Leto. Their play was on a much more casual level now.

They both removed their pajamas and Leto sat himself onto the chair, indicating where their session would go. Andreas grinned and willingly draped himself over is lover's knees. He loved hand spankings most of all because they were so much more…intimate. Both of them felt the warmth and tingle of every blow.

"Will you be my _good boy_ and hold still, no matter how many spanks I give you?" Leto asked wickedly, his hand rubbing slow circles on Andreas' upturned arse, while another arm snaked around his torso to hold him firmly in place.

"If you wish me to be still, I'll do my best, Love," Andreas nodded.

"If you're naughty and wiggle too much, what should I do with you?" Leto asked.

"Put me on the spanking bench and fuck me hard?" Andreas suggested.

Leto hummed in approval. "That sounds like an excellent idea, _Amatus_. Shall we begin?"

Leto's hand came down with the first spank, and Andreas just groaned with pleasure. Leto was starting off slow, warming his lover up, and the tingle and spreading heat was making Andreas hard.

Leto gave a few more warm-up spanks, noting the tension in Andreas' body as he struggled to remain still, and then began to spank the man in earnest, raining the spanks down in groups of five before pausing and gently rubbing the increasingly abused flesh. Each time he started again Andreas tensed to try and remain still. Finally, after a particularly hard spank Andreas couldn't anymore and he yelped and bucked hard in Leto's lap. Leto grinned wickedly as he let one final spank hit his lover's reddened behind.

"I'm sorry, Love," Andreas said through gasping breaths. "I just couldn't hold back anymore."

Leto helped Andreas to stand and led him to the spanking bench. Andreas clambered up but Leto left him unsecured. The bench was just the perfect height to give Andreas a proper fucking, which is exactly what Leto now intended to do, at Andreas' earlier suggestion.

Leto reached for their bottle of lube and began to prepare his lover. They made love often enough that he didn't require a lot of preparation, but Leto always wanted to make sure because he didn't want to injure Andreas.

Leto the slicked up his cock and began to sink into his lover's well-stretched entrance. Leto groaned as Andreas' slicked up, tight heat engulfed him. "I will never tire of feeling how tight you always are for me," Leto groaned as he paused after fully seating himself.

Andreas groaned in return. "…and I will never tire of feeling how much you fill and stretch me. _Oh, Maker_ , please move…"

Leto smirked and held Andreas' hips firmly while he slowly slid his cock almost out of Andreas ass before slamming back in hard, just the way Leto knew Andreas liked it. Without being secured to the bench, Andreas was free to push back into the thrust and he tried to influence the pace until Leto was thrusting hard and fast. Leto angled his thrusts in such a way so that he was hitting Andreas' prostrate on every thrust.

Leto could feel that Andreas was about to cum even before Andreas said anything. He could feel it in how his lover's channel gripped and undulated around his cock. "Cum for me, _Amatus_. Show me how much you love how I fuck you…"

Another thrust or two against Andreas' prostrate and the man shouted out his release as he came hard, his body shuddering beneath Leto, spurting white streaks against the bench and floor. Feeling the delicious clench as Andreas came, Leto followed almost immediately after, coating the inside of his lover with his seed.

Afterwards, Leto was panting hard, leaning over Andreas. Once he caught his breath he helped Andreas off the bench and they tidied up before locking the playroom and heading off to their master bathroom to shower and dress for the day. In the shower Andreas pulled Leto into a loving embrace, kissing the elf languidly until the water began to turn tepid.

...

Later that day, they bundled themselves up into their warmest winter clothes and headed out to meet with David Gaider. Henry was also planning on meeting them as well. They had arranged to meet in the heart of downtown Denver at a local book store and café.

As Andreas pulled into the parking space and put his car into park, he looked over at Leto. "Still feeling a little nervous, Love?"

Leto smiled nervously. "Yes. What…what if they have a way to…send us back?"

Andreas shrugged. "So what if they do? I don't want to go back, you don't want to back, so we won't go back. Simple."

Leto shuddered. "What if we're forced to go back?"

Andreas put a reassuring arm around Leto's shoulders. "Then we fight. You taught me a lot over the past several months and I'm a lot stronger than I used to be. I'll have your back, so don't worry, Love."

They made their way to the bookstore and café and ran into Henry as they were approaching the entrance.

"Hey guys!" Henry said happily, opening the door to usher Andreas and Leto into the warmth of the shop. "How are you two? Sorry I've been so busy with work I haven't had time to hang out as much."

They stood for a moment unbundling themselves when they noticed that Henry was only wearing a light coat, with no gloves, hat or scarf. "How are you not freezing?" Leto asked.

"I'm a Colorado native," Henry said with a laugh. "It's not really that cold out today."

"Speak for yourself," Leto grumbled.

Andreas put his arm around Leto again, sensing his continued tension. "Leto's not in the greatest of moods today. He's afraid that whatever David and BioWare uncovered could be used to send us back to Thedas, and neither one of us has any inclination of ever going back there."

"I highly doubt they would make you go back, even if they did," Henry said reassuringly. "Let's go meet David and see what he has to say, OK?"

Leto nodded. It was best to get this over with. He just hoped he'd understand whatever explanations were being made. The three of them headed through the bookstore towards the café section. In a back corner of the café at a larger table sat David Gaider and a rather waifish looking young woman. As they approached the woman's eyes went wide with surprise and tears actually fell down her cheeks.

"Oh my gosh…you really are real," she gushed before she began gibbering. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh."

David chuckled and reached a hand to the young woman's shoulders. "Take a deep breath Madelyn."

The young woman did so and began to calm down. She then extended her hand and composed herself enough to make an introduction. "Hi, I'm Madelyn. Um…I'm kinda part of the reason why you guys are here…I guess."

Andreas reached forward and shook the young woman's hand. "I'm Andreas, this is Leto, and that's our good friend Henry. He sort of rescued us when we first arrived."

"Wow you changed your names?" Madelyn asked curiously.

Andreas nodded as he sat down at the table. "Yeah, you know Anders wasn't my real name, right? I was born Andreas Bauermann."

Madelyn giggled. "Do you know how many fangirls would love to know your real name? Wow I feel so lucky."

David spoke up then as Leto and Henry also sat down. "So as to the reason I asked you both here. It turns out Madelyn here is a bit of a computer genius." Madelyn began to blush and shrank a little in her seat at the praise. "She was dabbling with an A.I. program and decided to test it on a mod she wrote for Dragon Age 2. She was trying to see what the game characters would do if an A.I. mod controlled the characters instead of her, and she left it running continuously."

"Yeah, and when I went to check on the game after about week, I noticed that both Fenris and Anders were gone, and then Merrill disappeared too," Madelyn added. "I had the computer set up to record everything, but whatever happened, it happened _off-camera_ , so I couldn't see where you'd gone."

"That must have been after we'd gone to Merrill's to help her with her Eluvian problem," Andreas mused. "I wonder why Merrill would disappear though? Could she have been drawn in with us?"

"No she wasn't, she came back eventually," Madelyn noted. "Although I could no longer recruit her for any of Hawke's missions anymore either."

"So let me try to understand all this," Andreas began. "First, what does A.I. mean?"

David spoke up. "Sorry I should have explained, it stands for Artificial Intelligence. It's a way to try and give a computer the ability to think on its own, and make its own decisions."

"You can give computers…intelligence?" Leto asked in shock.

"Well, not precisely, at least not yet, but we're getting really close," Madelyn offered. "My A.I. program studies all the various scenarios in the game and tries to make logical choices based on the algorithm I wrote. The only parameter I gave it was to remain pro-mage."

"Pro-mage? As in, siding with mages instead of Templars?" Andreas asked.

"Yeah, exactly," Madelyn nodded. "I am always pro-mage in Dragon age. I hate how the Chantry and Templars treat mages."

Andreas smiled. "I know exactly what you mean. I hated how they treated us as well."

"So tell me, do you have full memories of when you were a child and everything?" Madelyn asked.

Andreas nodded. "Yeah the farm I grew up on was pretty idyllic. My life there was great, until I nearly burnt the barn down. After that my life was a nightmare." Leto reached out and took Andreas' hand for comfort.

"I'm really sorry for that," David said, reaching out to give Andreas' other hand a comforting squeeze. "That is my fault. I wrote your backstory. Whatever hell you remember suffering…I'm really sorry."

Andreas covered David's hand with his other and patted it reassuringly. "Don't be. It made me who I am today, and I honestly wouldn't change who I am right now."

Leto nodded. "I would agree, _Amatus_. As much as we both suffered in our pasts, I am happy with who I am today as well."

Madelyn looked shocked again. "Did…did you just called Andreas your _Amatus_?"

"Indeed I did," Leto acknowledged. "Andreas and I grew close after being thrown into your world. I couldn't imagine my life without him now."

Andreas moved to put an arm around Leto's shoulders and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I couldn't imagine it without you either, Love."

"Wow. Just wow. All those fan fiction writers were… _right_?!" Madelyn blushed. "I argued with them for years that there was no way you two would ever want to be a…couple. That you hated each other too much for that. I guess…I guess I was wrong."

"Oh my god, I know, right?" Henry chimed in. "I told them that soon after we first met. I mean they were cuddling together even on the first night at my place. It happened so fast!"

Andreas chuckled. "You know, I'm going to have to look up some of these fan fiction stories you guys keep mentioning. I'm rather curious what people are writing about us."

Henry chuckled at that. "I'll show you where you can find the best ones later."

Andreas blushed. "Alright so back to the topic at hand," Andreas deftly changed the topic. "Madelyn, you made some kind of…artificial intelligence…thing…on your computer and had it play through Dragon Age 2, and you're only instructions were for it to be pro-mage, is that correct?"

Madelyn nodded. "Yes."

"Alright so the scenarios we were living that aren't part of the game, that came from your A.I.? Normally we were just meant to be in some sort of limbo?" Andreas asked.

David nodded. "Generally yes that's normally how the game operates."

"So in the version of the game we played, that version of us…they don't experience what we did?" Andreas asked.

Madelyn shook her head. "No, they literally can't experience it because they are just computer programs. My A.I. seems to have given you all a life and purpose beyond your normal programming. However, the part of this that still doesn't make sense is…how you can be here, in our world, physically?"

Andreas nodded. "I was wondering the same thing myself. If Leto and I were originally just… _pixels?_...on a computer screen, how can we now be flesh and blood?"

Madelyn shook her head. "I honestly don't know. That goes beyond my knowledge. It would take some extensive testing to see how much you differ from us, although since our air and food seem to agree with you, it seems that you cannot be that different."

"Well I am planning to go to medical school," Andreas offered. "Perhaps as part of my studies I could investigate our genetic makeup and see if that will lead to any clues?"

David had a look mixed between surprise and pride at Andreas' announcement. "You're…going to medical school?"

"Yeah, I start pre-med next fall, at a university not far from here," Andreas confirmed.

David got up and pulled Andreas into a hug. "You know, I view the both of you as the sons I never had, and Andreas, you just made me so proud."

"Well, I guess, in a way you are like our father," Andreas said as he hugged the man back.

Andreas then looked thoughtful for a moment. "Madelyn, would we be able to communicate with Hawke and the others within your game?"

Madelyn contemplated the request for a moment then nodded. "Yes, I think so. In fact I might be able to make it possible for you to visit with them if you like."

Leto blanched at the suggestion. "No…no, please do not send us back there."

Andreas put his arm around Leto again. "You don't mean to send us back, right?"

Madelyn shook her head. "No, no, that's not what I meant. I'm sorry but no it wouldn't be possible to send you back, but I have this device, called an Occulus Rift. You wear it over your eyes and it makes you feel like you are inside the game, but you're not. It's just an illusion. But it would allow you to interact with the other game characters."

Leto visibly relaxed as Andreas rubbed soothing circles into back with one hand before turning back to Madelyn. "That sounds perfect. When…could we do this?"

Madelyn shrugged. "I brought the computer with me…it's out in my car. I'd just need a place to set it up."

"Well, we could go back to our apartment, if that's acceptable?" Andreas suggested.

...

An hour later they were all gathered in Andreas and Leto's living room, Madelyn's computer set-up on their coffee table. Leto was nervously sipping on some hot apple cider while Madelyn explained to Andreas how the Occulus Rift worked. "You're sure this won't…pull him back to Thedas…right?" Leto asked nervously.

Andreas excused himself and got up, walking over to Leto. "Don't worry Love. From what I can understand, there is nothing that can reverse the process that brought us into this world. I'm just going to see Hawke and let him know we're alright. I'm guessing he was pretty angry with Merrill for our disappearance."

Leto set down his cup and clung to Andreas for a moment. "I…I just don't want to lose you, _Amatus_. I could not bear it."

Andreas pressed a chaste kiss to Leto's lips. "I'll be fine, I promise."

"I'm ready," Andreas said as he made his way back to Madelyn, who picked up the device and instructed Andreas to sit down before she fitted it over his head and eyes. Leto moved around to sit next to Andreas while David and Henry sat on the other couch in the room, watching.

"Does that feel alright?" she asked.

Andreas nodded. "Yeah it's fine."

"I'm going to turn it on now, the game is already running," Madelyn said. "We'll be able to watch what you're doing in the game from my monitor."

...

Andreas found himself staring at the lowtown marketplace. It looked as he remembered, although slightly off because of the digital projection he was viewing instead of being there in reality. He looked around and then, based on Madelyn's instruction, tried to walk forward. It was a bit difficult to get used to, but he managed. His first thought was to head over to the Hanged Man. Often there would be at least one person from Hawke's group of companions loitering about.

As he entered the dimly lit tavern he looked around for a familiar face. Finding none down in the main room, he slowly headed up the stairs to Varric's suite. Sure enough Hawke, Varric, Isabela, Aveline and even Sebastian were there, playing Wicked Grace. Sebastian noticed him first, nearly falling out of his seat. "Andraste's breath!" he exclaimed.

The rest turned and looked at him in shock. Hawke ran towards him. "Anders!" he shouted, trying to pull him into an embrace, but instead fell off-balance onto the floor when there was no mage to touch.

Sebastian sprang to his feet then. "He's a ghost!"

Andreas laughed then and wished he could help his old friend up from the floor where he sprawled. "No, I'm not a ghost…not exactly. I came to tell you that Leto…um…Fenris and I are fine, and if you're still punishing Merrill, please don't. In fact, we both want to thank her."

Hawke slowly rose. "What do you mean? And where is Fenris? And who is…Leto?"

"This is going to take a long time to explain, so let me start from the beginning," Andreas offered.

Andreas paced the room as he told them everything, from being pulled into the Eluvian, losing their respective Fade magics, meeting Henry, and all their other adventures. The group of them just sat with their mouths hanging open. Varric finally had the presence of mind to order another round of drinks…strong ones.

"Blondie, I think that story trumps every single one I've ever written," Varric said. "And you know I've told some doozies!"

"I know it's all difficult to believe," Andreas said. "But it's all true. Look do you want me to send Leto in to verify it? You know he'd never stretch the truth!"

Hawke eyed him. "Yes. Send Leto in. Why can't you both be here though?"

Andreas sighed. "It's because there's only one of these Occulus Rift things and so we have to take turns. Hang on a moment, OK?"

Andreas then lifted his arms up to his face looking like he was about to take a blindfold off, when he disappeared. A few moments later Fenris stood before them, looking a bit apprehensive, shifting nervously before looking up at his old friends.

"Fenris!" Hawke said happily. "So Anders was telling the truth about…everything?"

Leto nodded. "Yes, he was, Hawke. By the way, I go by Leto now, and he goes by Andreas. I'm sure he told you that."

Hawke sighed. "Yes, yes, it's just an adjustment. Forgive me…Leto."

Leto nodded.

"Is it also true that…you and he?" Hawke asked.

Leto shifted more nervously but slowly nodded. "I love him Hawke. Very much."

"That's the part that has me gobsmacked Broody," Varric chimed in. "I honestly never would have predicted the two of you ending up together."

Leto smiled. "Good, then we hid our attraction for each other well when we were still here in Kirkwall."

At that moment Merrill stepped cautiously into the room. "Fenris!" she squeaked happily, nearly falling down trying to hug him as well. Leto recounted an abbreviated version of events for Merrill, who had been sent for by Varric.

"Oh my, that sounds like quite the adventure," Merrill said. "I am glad you are both alright, and that you're both healthy and happy."

Hawke looked at Merrill. "I'm sorry I was so harsh on you. Apparently _Leto_ and _Andreas_ are eternally grateful to you for what happened. I'm still not pleased to have lost my best healer and warrior, but because they are happy…I forgive you."

Merrill clapped her hands in glee. "Oh thank you, Hawke!"

Leto traded places with Andreas once more and Andreas had a chance to thank Merrill _in person_ as well.

Andreas then turned serious and warned them about possible future events, warning about Meredith's descent into complete madness due to red lyrium, to keep an eye out for Corypheus and how he wasn't able to be killed by conventional means, and finally warning about the problems an elf apostate named Solas may cause. This timeline in Thedas was already changed by Andreas and Leto no longer being there, which meant that Andreas wouldn't be blowing up the Chantry, so Andreas didn't worry about ruining the timeline further. He just wanted his friends to remain safe.

Andreas then said his goodbyes and promised they would try to visit again in the future.

Andreas then lifted the Occulus Rift from his head and leaned back. "Wow, that was…surreal."

Leto nodded. "Indeed. It was…odd…being in the Hanged Man again, especially without the stench."

Andreas laughed at that. "You're right, I knew something felt wrong. It smelled far too pleasant!" Andreas then stood and walked over towards Madelyn who was starting to shut down the computer. "Thank you so much. That definitely gave us some much needed closure and even though they are still just computer programs, it felt good to be able to talk to and reassure our old friends. Hawke even forgave Merrill for her little stunt that sent us here."

"You're welcome," Madelyn said shyly. "I am just really, really happy to have met you both. You have no idea how many of us are absolutely in love with you two." Leto and Andreas both blushed at that compliment.

"You're very sweet, my dear," Andreas said. "Since you also live in Colorado, would it be possible for us to come visit occasionally and check in on our friends?"

Madelyn nodded. "Of course. You both will always be welcome in my home."

They all shared a final cup of hot apple cider and each other's company for a short time longer until David and Madelyn had to go. Henry excused himself as well, wishing his friends a pleasant evening.

Andreas looked at Leto once they were alone. "So…want to come check out some of this _fan fiction_ with me?"

Leto and Andreas made themselves another cup of hot apple cider and then retreated towards their office. Andreas fired up his computer and Leto settled himself next to him in his own chair. Andreas pulled up the website Henry had told him about, Archive of Our Own, and went to do a search for stories about _Anders/Fenris_.

Some of the stories were very sweet, and rated _G_ , which apparently meant it was for general audiences. Many of those were about the two of them falling in love, or pining after each other but being stubborn and missing the clues about each other's feelings. Other stories were had other ratings, and Andreas was curious about the ones that were listed as _E_ for _explicit_.

He read each story aloud to Leto, and they both blushed when he began to read the first explicit scene. There were some that were heart wrenching, depicting a death, and others that had _Anders_ being made tranquil.

They spent the next several hours reading through story after story, alternatively laughing, crying, or blushing. Andreas deliberately avoided stories that included _Fenris/Danarius_ as a pairing, glad that Leto wasn't paying too close attention to all the words. They both found the ones depicting one of them getting pregnant oddly intriguing and more than once Andreas' found himself subconsciously rubbing his belly while he read those.

Finally Andreas began to rub his eyes and they decided they'd read enough for one night.

Andreas sniggered. "I wonder what any of these people would do if they _knew_ we were reading their stories about us?"

Leto shrugged. "They do have some creative imaginations. I think I like best the ones you say are listed as an AU, where it takes us out of the normal game story. That certainly seemed to work well for us in reality."

Andreas pulled Leto into an embrace. "Indeed it did," Andreas said, waggling his eye brows. "I'm tempted to try some of the things our story counterparts have done, what do you think?"

Leto contemplated for a moment. "I don't know, but I might be tempted to buy you a corset now," Leto said chuckling.

"Oh really?" Andreas asked, blushing. "Hmm I wouldn't mind exploring a few other… _kinks_ …with you, Love, if you've a mind…"

Leto then looked at him with a particularly predatory smile and stood up suddenly, grabbing the larger man and deftly slinging him over his shoulder and carrying him swiftly to their bedroom. Andreas let out an undignified squeak when Leto tossed him onto the bed and began to swiftly undress.

They spent the rest of the night trying out a number of the more… _creative_ …kinks they'd read about in those very naughty fan fictions.


	25. Ceremonies

**_~9 years later~_**

Leto was fidgeting, pulling at the collar of his shirt that felt a little too much like another type of collar. He decidedly did not like wearing a suit, but he wanted to look his best today. Today was a very important day.

Andreas was finally graduating from medical school. He still had four years of residency to look forward to before he was free and clear and earned his medical license, but at least he finally earned the degree he'd been working so hard for over the past eight years.

The two of them had come a long way since they first arrived in Colorado over nine years ago, slowly adapting to this peculiar world, transforming from mercenary warrior and apostate abomination to a successful businessman and a determined student.

Today was actually to be a double celebration. After Andreas' graduation ceremony, they had planned a party for all their closest friends to not only celebrate Andreas' accomplishment, but also to celebrate the opening of the 100th franchise of Leto's self-defense studio, now known nationwide as "The Fenris Institute of Self-Defense" with the motto _Enter as a sheep, Exit as a wolf_. The name and motto were suggested by Andreas. Leto's first studio was so successful that he was encouraged to open a second one. Now over eight years later, the 100th studio had opened in Seattle earlier that week.

Leto's hands kept fidgeting, one constantly checking his one pocket to make sure the small box was still there. Leto had one other special plan for the day, one that Henry helped him plan.

Henry, who had been there from the beginning and been their best friend and confidant all these years. Henry, who was now happily married with a small child and was no longer the very young, hoodie wearing computer geek they'd first met on the side of I-70 all those years ago. Leto and Andreas were even invited to stand up as groomsmen for Henry's wedding three years ago, Andreas sheepishly trying to study for an exam at the reception after the ceremony, having hauled his book bag with him even there.

Andreas had proven to be a brilliant and driven student, earning nearly perfect grades through every phase of the pre-med and med programs he was in, but fretting and stressing over very exam, convinced he'd fail every time. Leto was there every time to lend encouragement and support and much needed _stress relief_ whenever it was needed.

Now here they were, Andreas about to add the title of Doctor to his name, and Leto dreamt of them not only sharing a home and their hearts, but also a last name.

Andreas finally came out of the bedroom. "How do I look?!" he asked eagerly.

Leto smirked. "Ridiculous. That hat alone is the most impractical thing I've ever seen, and why are they making you wear mage robes?"

Andreas laughed and shrugged. "It's tradition. It's called a cap and gown, and it's worn for these graduation ceremonies. When I walk on stage I'm also to be presented with something called a hood as well. Something they only do for Doctors apparently."

Leto blushed a bit. "Yet somehow as ridiculous as it looks, somehow it suits you, _Amatus_. I never thought I'd see you wear something resembling mage robes again. This degree makes you about as close to a healer again as you'll ever get so…it seems fitting."

Andreas pulled Leto into an embrace. "I never thought of it like that. I like that idea. Thank you, Love." Andreas bent down and kissed Leto thoroughly enough to leave them both a little breathless.

"Now, we better get going or I'll be late to my own graduation!" Andreas chuckled.

...

An hour later found Leto sitting in a very large auditorium, surrounded by their friends. Naturally Henry was there with his wife Michaela, along with Miranda, Casey, David Gaider and even Madelyn. David was beaming like a proud papa.

Henry had made sure they were seated close to the front by the stage, and Leto sat by the aisle. The ceremony was about to start and the head of the Medical Department and the university president both nodded at Henry knowingly from the stage. Leto began to fidget noticeably and Henry placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I think you're even more nervous than I was," Henry whispered in his twitching ear. "Relax, I promise everything will go according to plan."

Leto took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves, his fingers reaching into his pocket for the thousandth time to make sure that tiny box was still there.

The ceremony got underway. Leto and Henry were well briefed as to what to expect from the proceedings, beginning with the graduation march as all the graduates filed in and took their seats in the center of the auditorium. They were lined up and seated in the way they were to be called up onto the stage. Most students were to go alphabetically, but the ones graduating magna cum laude and summa cum laude got to go first. Andreas was graduating summa cum laude today. Leto could not be prouder.

There was a keynote speech that seemed to drone on and on for hours (in truth it was only thirty minutes). Then several announcements and awards were given out before they began calling graduates up to the stage. Leto's heart began to beat too fast in his chest as the magna cum laude graduate was called first. The summa cum laude graduate was called next, before a pause in the program was noted for a _special event_.

As the magna cum laude graduate beamed and received her hood and diploma, Leto nearly felt as if he were going to faint. Next the university president called for the next graduate to the stage.

"Graduating today with summa cum laude honors, Doctor Andreas Bauermann," the man on the stage said.

Andreas made his way to the stage, blushing. He awkwardly ducked so they could place the hood over his shoulders and he gratefully accepted his diploma. Then he was about to walk off stage when he was stopped. Andreas looked confused for a moment when the university president once again took up the microphone and Leto felt his heart in his throat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you will note in the program that we have planned a brief pause in the ceremony. I would like to ask Mr. Leto Freeman to please join us on the stage," the man said.

Leto felt frozen in place and it took a shove from Henry to get him to stand upon shaky legs and head up towards the stage. _This was a bad idea. I hate people. I hate crowds. Why did I agree to do this here?_

Leto approached a very stunned Andreas and took several more, deep breaths. He took Andreas' hands in his shaky ones as they hurriedly clipped microphones to each of their lapels. Leto looked into Andreas' confused honey-brown eyes and fought the impulse to just kiss him right then and there.

Leto cleared his throat as the others on the stage moved back and gave them center stage. "Andreas," Leto began, initially startled by hearing his voice over the loudspeakers. "You came into my life over twelve years ago. Nine years ago we ended up here in Colorado and I have grown to love you more each and every day. Today you made me so proud and words cannot express how deep my love and affection are for you."

Leto then got on one knee, as Henry said was customary. He let go of one of Andreas' hands so he could fish something out of his pocket. "Doctor Andreas Bauermann, would you do me the greatest honor of becoming my husband? Will you marry me?" Leto opened the small box, presenting Andreas with a beautifully wrought ring, shaped like a class ring, with a large diamond at its center.

Andreas stood there in stunned silence for a moment, his eyes threatening to spill tears. He slowly lowered himself down to his knees and nodded. "Y…yes, Leto. A thousand times, yes," Andreas practically sobbing the words. Leto placed the ring onto Andreas' ring finger as they embraced for a kiss and the entire auditorium erupted in cheers.

The two were then quickly ushered off stage after that so the rest of the graduation could proceed. They stood to one side of the auditorium during the rest of the ceremony as Leto held Andreas tightly in his arms.

...

A couple of hours later their joint celebration party was in full swing. It wasn't just a graduation and congratulations for Leto's business success party anymore. It was now also an engagement party. Many friends were aware of the plans and brought engagement gifts for the happy couple.

Madelyn herself had an extra special surprise for them. She'd been working on enhancements, not only to her A.I. program, which was still running the version of Dragon Age 2 where Leto and Andreas, quite literally, came to life, but she had been working on a new holographic projection technology and worked with developers of BioWare to achieve her surprise in time for this party. By this time Andreas and Leto were no longer pretending to be what they weren't and many people knew of their true origins.

She called Leto and Andreas over when the time came and flipped a switch. Instantly Leto and Andreas' friends from Kirkwall appeared before them. There was Hawke, Merrill, Isabela, Sebastian, Varric, Aveline, Donnic, and even Bethany.

"Hawke!" Andreas said happily. "Welcome to our party!"

The Kirkwall Crew, as they were affectionately referred to as, were stunned at first, never having seen our modern world before. They couldn't touch, but they could see and hear everything. They quickly gathered around Andreas and Leto and were caught up on all the latest updates. Andreas and Leto tried to visit them a few times each year since the first time they'd done so nearly nine years earlier so at least they didn't have nine years to catch up on.

In fact, life in Thedas was going well, better than in other versions of the game, thanks to the A.I. program and timely warnings from Andreas and Leto as to what to expect. Mages had more freedom without turning to blood magic or becoming magisters like in Tevinter. Slavery in Tevinter had been nearly eliminated, and Chantry reforms were on going. Corypheys and Solas were both thwarted before either of them could put their plans into motion.

A few years earlier when Danarius actually dared to show up, looking for Fenris, Hawke made quick work of the man, putting his head on a spike to show Leto on his next visit. Leto had tried spitting upon the dead magister's head, forgetting he was only virtually in Kirkwall, unfortunately covering Andreas in his spittle.

"So, we have some news," Leto began, blushing slightly, pulling Andreas closer to him. "Andreas and I are now engaged to be married."

Merrill and Isabela squealed with delight and insisted on seeing the ring. "Oh, it's beautiful!" Merrill gushed. "Such a handsome ring for such a handsome man." Andreas blushed at the compliment.

"They allow men to marry?" Sebastian said, incredulously.

"Yes, this is a much more progressive society," Andreas nodded. "At least most of the time."

Madelyn then approached the happy couple. "I have one more surprise for you both, but I'd like to present it in private if you don't mind? Please, follow me."

Madelyn led Leto and Andreas over towards another room at the banquet hall and ushered them inside. Andreas gasped when he saw more holographic figures standing before him. There was a human couple, bent with age, and a female elf with grey streaked red hair.

"Mutti?" Andreas asked tentatively, recognizing his mother by the same honey-brown eyes he had.

"Andreas!" the elderly woman exclaimed. "Is that really you, my sweet little Andreas?"

"Oh Mutti, I wish I could hug you right now," Andreas said, getting as close to her shimmering form as he could, tears streaking down his face. "I missed you so much."

Leto noticed how Andreas was completely ignoring the elderly man at his mother's side, assuming that must have been his father. Then Leto's gaze fell upon the red-haired elf and she looked at Leto expectantly. "Hello, brother," she said in greeting.

Leto approached her. "You…are...Varania?" Leto recalled from the playthrough of Dragon Age 2 he and Andreas did years before. "You…wanted to betray me?"

Varania's eyes flew wide. "No, brother, no I didn't. Madelyn explained things to me, but I never met…Magister Danarius. I never betrayed you. I swear!"

"You would have," Leto growled.

"No, I don't believe I would," Varania shook her head. "The version of me you saw was just a…simulation. She was following whatever the storyline of that…game…dictated. Because of the intelligence all of us have been given, we've had the freedom to make our own choices. That is not…it's not a choice I would have made, brother. Please, believe me."

"You do know I have no memories of you outside of what I saw in the game, right?" Leto queried his sister.

Varania nodded. "Yes. I was told…what Danarius did to you…how it wiped your memory. That you don't remember mama or me at all."

Leto shook his head. "No, I don't. I'm sorry."

Varania smiled a bit as she looked over at Andreas who was still talking to his mother. "So, that's the man you're going to marry?"

Leto blushed. "Yes. He just completed his education today in order to become a doctor. That's what they call healers in this world. I am…very proud of him."

"A healer? So he's a mage?" Varania asked.

Leto shook his head. "Not anymore. He lost his magic when we came here. I also lost all the lyrium in my markings. There is no magic in this world."

Leto and Varania continued to get to know each other as Andreas continued his reunion with his mother, pointedly trying to ignore his father entirely. Finally, the man was through being ignored and spoke up.

"Andreas…son," the man began taking a deep breath. "They told us what happened to you in the Circle. For what it's worth…I am sorry."

Andreas stiffened at those words, his mouth tightening into a thin line.

"Vati," Andreas began, an edge to his voice. "I guess I've always had one question in my mind all these years. I may as well ask it. Why?"

Andreas' father wrung his hands. "Because I was a damned fool. I was scared and I feared your magic. I also feared the Chantry and I feared what the Templars would do if they found out we were hiding an apostate. If I had known… _Maker_ …I would never have let them take you…"

Andreas slumped to his knees, tears welling in his eyes. "Vati…" his voice cracked as he tried to speak and Leto rushed to his side, his sister momentarily forgotten. "I loved you so much. After you sent me away, I wished for years that the Maker had never given me that gift. Now…now it's gone and I'd still do anything to have it back."

Andreas' father crouched down and looked his son in the eye. "I truly am sorry, my son. They told me of your accomplishments here and I wanted to tell you how proud you have made me."

Andreas looked at him in astonishment. "Really? You're…proud of me? Your mage apostate son?"

"You're not exactly a mage nor an apostate any longer," he man said. "And even so, I was told you've been studying for eight years to become a healer in this world. That makes me proud of you."

"Thank you, Vati. That means more to me than you can ever realize," Andreas said, slowly standing and pulling Leto closer to him. "Mutti, Vati, I would like to introduce to you my fiancé, Leto."

Leto nodded his head at the elderly couple shimmering in front of him.

"Fiancé? Is that an Orlesian word?" Andreas' father asked.

Andreas smirked. "It means we are to be married. Leto proposed today during my graduation ceremony."

His mother looked confused for a moment. "You're…marrying…a male elf?"

Andreas had forgotten about some of the biases in Thedas that still persisted, especially amongst the older population.

"Yes, Mutti, I'm marrying a male elf," Andreas chuckled.

"Well," she let her eyes graze over Leto. "he's very handsome." Andreas' father just grunted, and was then jabbed in the ribs by his wife's elbow. "Um…welcome to the family…Leto."

"Thank you," Leto said graciously. "Speaking of family, I suppose you should all meet my sister, Varania."

They spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing with old friends and new. Andreas was happy to have been reunited with his parents and to be able to put that part of his past behind him. For Leto, getting to know his long forgotten sister helped ease some of the bitterness he'd developed after seeing the game version of her. It felt good hearing stories of the childhood he could no longer remember, and soon Varania had him laughing over some of the antics they had gotten up to as children.

When Leto and Andreas were finally home in bed, wrapped in each other's arms, they were both extremely happy and content. Leto happily snuggled closer to his future husband and slowly drifted off to sleep.

...

 **~1 Year Later~**

Anders had just completed his first year of residency and still had three more to go before he would be a fully licensed Doctor. The clinic at the mission was thriving despite Andreas having limited time to be there. He looked forward to the day when he could devote all his time to the clinic, perhaps even opening additional ones across the city of Denver.

Leto's self-defense franchise continued to thrive over the past year as well, with several more franchises opening nationwide. Since Andreas was so busy with his residency and the clinic, Leto took it upon himself to plan their wedding, with Henry's help. Naturally he'd wanted a brief, simple affair, but Andreas begged him to plan something a bit more…elaborate. Leto capitulated after Andreas practically pleaded with him with sad, puppy dog eyes. Leto certainly had not cornered the market on the puppy dog eye look.

Henry and his wife were happy to help, as they were much more familiar with wedding planning than Leto was. There were venues to scout, flowers to order, cakes and meals to taste, and a myriad of other details Leto would never have thought of on his own.

Andreas only task throughout this process was to pick out his outfit for the big day, while Henry helped Leto decide on his own suit and that of the wedding party as well. Leto chose black and silver with blue accents for their colors, both because he liked those colors, and because it included the colors of the Grey Wardens, who gave Andreas his first real taste of freedom from the Circle all those years ago.

...

Andreas was fidgeting in his suit, as nervous as a blushing bride. Well, in many ways he was the blushing bride today after all. He'd toyed with the idea of wearing something closer to a dress, perhaps in the cut of a mage's robe with a corset, but he quickly tossed that idea aside. He and Fenris played around with such things some years before but somehow the appeal was lost with age. Instead Andreas opted for a suit similar to Leto's. His was silver grey with a black waistcoat and a blue kerchief in his pocket. Leto's was black with a silver grey waistcoat and the same blue kerchief. Leto always had looked stunning in black and silver.

Andreas' hair had grown long and he opted to wear it in a simple braid down his back for the occasion. He opted to also be freshly shaven instead of his usual day-old scruff he usually sported.

His heart hammered in his chest. Andreas wasn't nervous about marrying Leto. No, not at all. He loved that broody elf so much. He was nervous about forgetting his vows or stammering or any number of other things he kept thinking might go wrong in front of the crowd of people that had been invited to their wedding.

With the help of Madelyn, they would have quite a few people from Thedas attending, along with all the people from the mission, many people who Andreas knew from his years studying and from his residency, and also many of the people Leto had gotten to know through his franchise business.

Then the music began and Andreas' heart really went into overdrive and he found he had trouble breathing. Just then his father, dressed in Thedosian finery, walked through the closed door to escort him down the aisle. He quirked a smile when he saw the slight panic in Andreas' eyes. "Breathe son. I nearly passed out on my wedding day to your mother. Just breathe."

Andreas did just that and was able to steady his nerves enough to exit the bridal suite and get behind the procession with his father. David Gaider joined them as both he and his father were asked to escort Andreas up the aisle. Madelyn made it possible for his father to walk him down the aisle and _give him away_ to Fenris. The irony was not lost on Andreas, and at least this time he was being given away to someone he loved. It also meant a lot to have David there, as he had more to do with Andreas' existence than his father did.

The music changed and the procession began. Slowly they moved down the aisle and Andreas couldn't take his eyes off Leto, still stunning even after all these years. His hair had also grown out and he opted to wear it down today instead of in the ponytail he'd been sporting for the past few years. The pure white, wavy hair contrasted beautifully with his black suit and what of his black markings were visible. The tips of his elven ears peeked through the long locks and Andreas smirked as he noticed the tell-tale signs of a blush pinking the tips.

Andreas blushed in return, looking at his husband. From a legal standpoint they were already married, having self-officiated and signed the paperwork at the courthouse earlier that day. Colorado definitely made it very easy for two people to get married. This ceremony was a way to declare their love and devotion to each other in front of their friends and family. Also it was an excuse to have a party and to get Andreas to take part of his vacation time for their honeymoon.

Andreas reached out and took Leto's hands in his. They'd rehearsed all this last night, without revealing their vows to each other. Leto already was clipped into a microphone so everyone could hear him and Henry quickly clipped one onto Andreas before stepping back.

Andreas' eyes were already brimming with emotion when he began.

"Leto, my love. It's been ten years since we first stumbled into this world. It was in many ways a rebirth for both of us," Andreas said, squeezing Leto's hands gently. "The world we'd left behind had taught us to hate and fear. It taught us pain and suffering. This world taught us how to love. I learned what a remarkable _man_ you are. It made me love you even more. I love you so much and I will love you always and forever. I promise to make sure you know that, every single day, _for the rest of our lives_."

Andreas' voice began cracking at the end, tears finally spilling down his cheeks.

Leto couldn't hold back his emotion and struggled to keep from just leaping into Andreas' arms that very second. He cleared his throat trying to fight back his own tears. "Andreas. _Mi Amatus_. My beloved. My heart," Leto began, smiling at the blush spreading across Andreas' face at his words of endearment. "Long before we arrived in this world, you showed me how selfless and kind a man like you can be. I'd seen the worst of men, and you embodied the best of them. It had been difficult to leave my past behind, but here in this world I needed you and you were there for me every single time. You gave me the chance to start anew and you showed me so much love and so much tenderness. You gave me such a precious gift, Amatus. You gave me your heart. In exchange I have willingly given you mine. Together we are stronger. Together we are better. I promise to nurture and protect that precious gift for the rest of our lives."

Leto then stepped forward and Andreas leaned down to wrap his arms around his husband, kissing him soundly, and everyone in attendance burst into applause. Once they broke apart, they quickly exchanged rings and Henry came forward.

"May I introduce you to Dr. Andreas and Mr. Leto Bauermann," Henry announced, wiping a stray tear from his cheek that he seemed embarrassed he'd let fall.

...

All the guests were relocated into the reception area where tables had been set out. They all sat around talking as appetizers and drinks were served. Madelyn had even worked with Bioware to program waiters and food for the Thedosians in attendance that day, so they could happily celebrate with everyone else.

Andreas and Leto were outside with the photographer and videographer that Henry had hired to record this day. As soon as the happy couple entered the reception and made their way to the raised dias where their private table was, the room erupted in the clinking of silverware against glass, not unlike many bells chiming at once. Leto and Andreas had attended a couple of weddings over the past ten years and they knew what that meant, and so they pulled each other into an embrace and kissed, their guests cheering happily.

As they approached the dias and sat down, Henry stood, clinking is glass to just draw attention and everyone stilled.

"As the best man, I have been asked to say a few words about the happy couple," Henry said grinning. "I'll admit, when I first saw these two trudging along the side if I-70, dressed like Comic-Con cosplayers, I wasn't sure what to make of them. Something about them made me want to stop and help and I'm very glad I did. Admittedly I first thought they were both stark raving crazy," Henry chuckled and the room exploded in laughter, everyone here familiar with the story by now. "But when I came to know them better, I learned what wonderful people they both are, and I'm so grateful I stopped that day. I think it's fair to say you both have made the lives of every person you've met better, and that's especially true for every single one of the people in this room. Here's to Leto and Andreas!"

Everyone toasted the happy couple before the happy clinking happened again and Leto pulled Andreas into another kiss. This continued through the main course of the meal, punctuated with many clinking requests for the happy couple to kiss.

Then came the cake, a beautiful tiered affair with a custom made pair standing atop of it, a miniature replica of the happy couple in a kissing embrace. They completed the traditional cake cutting ceremony, holding each other's hands as they cut the first slice, and then feeding each other a bite. Andreas loved anything sweet, but Henry knew Leto loved apples, so he'd ordered the cake to be white with vanilla frosting between layers of apples and cinnamon. Leto loved it.

Finally, all the food was cleared away and a dance floor was opened up as Henry used a remote to change the lighting and bring up the music. "Will the happy couple please make their way to the dance floor for their first dance?"

Andreas led Leto reluctantly to the dance floor. They'd had a couple of arguments over this part. It was a tradition that Leto didn't want to participate in, but Andreas insisted. After Leto finally capitulated Andreas had promised him, "I'll find the perfect song for us."

It took Andreas several months, listening to hundreds of love songs to finally find _the one_. It was an older song, but it conveyed what was in Andreas' heart so well.

As they stopped in the middle of the dance floor and Andreas pulled Leto into his arms, the song began to play.

 _You know our love was meant to be  
The kind of love to last forever  
And I want you here with me  
From tonight until the end of time  
You should know, everywhere I go  
Always on my mind, in my heart, in my soul_

The haunting lyrics made Leto melt into Andreas' embrace as they began to sway to the music.

 _Baby, you're the meaning in my life  
You're the inspiration  
You bring feeling to my life  
You're the inspiration  
Wanna have you near me  
I wanna have you hear me saying  
No one needs you more than I need you_

Andreas looked into Leto's eyes so sincerely as they continued to sway to the song, slowly mouthing the words, conveying that he meant every single word of the song.

 _And I know, yes, I know that it's plain to see  
We're so in love when we're together  
Now I know, now I know  
That I need you here with me  
From tonight until the end of time  
You should know  
Everywhere I go  
Always on my mind, in my heart, in my soul_

Leto's eyes were now streaming tears down his cheeks. He'd completely forgotten they were on the dance floor. All there was now was the song and having Andreas in his arms. Andreas leaned in closer and whispered into Leto's ear, "I love you so much."

They clung, swaying, to each other until the song finished, Andreas punctuating the ending with a deep, long kiss.

Then abruptly the music changed to something fast and fun and Andreas grabbed Leto's hand and spun him around quickly before breaking into a more modern dance. Leto was still so swept away that he forgot to squawk in protest like he'd normally do. His heart felt so light and free in that moment he followed Andreas' ridiculous moves and danced happily, as other people began to come to the dance floor and dance as well.

The reception lasted late into the night and Henry finally bundled the two of them into a limousine to take them back home. They had to get some sleep before heading to the airport the next day. They were bound for a small island resort in the Caribbean for their honeymoon.

The next day, as they were checking in for their flight, they both smiled and blushed when the attendant on duty said, "Have a good flight, Dr. and Mr. Bauermann."

Author's Note: The song referenced is "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago, and sung by Peter Cetera. watch?v=wM-XhQeFzW4


	26. Honeymoon

When Leto and Andreas finally arrived at the resort they were both exhausted. They were greeted by staff with a tropical drink and escorted to the honeymoon suite. The suite was large, with a living room, dining room and full kitchen. The master bedroom suite was spacious, with a large, fluffy bed and an equally spacious bathroom. They both were grateful for the fluffy bed they both collapsed on.

"Now I know why Henry complains about traveling," Andreas groaned. "I swear I think I would have preferred going by carriage and boat, seasickness be damned!"

"Indeed," intoned Leto next to him, who crawled closer to Andreas and curled up next to him.

Andreas slid his arm around the elf's shoulders pulling him closer. "Well we made it, dear husband, and now I get to spent two entire weeks together with just you."

Leto snuggled even closer as Andreas pulled him in, nuzzling at Andreas' neck. "Mmmm. Husband. I do like the sound of that." Leto's hand began to wander, slipping underneath the thin cotton t-shirt Andreas was wearing, stroking his hand up across his husband's stomach before wandering lower.

Andreas' breath hitched as Leto's fingers slipped beneath the waistband of his jeans. "I can't believe you can still drive me crazy, even after all these years, Love. How about we continue this in the shower? I'd like to get some of that travel grime off me first."

They rose from the comfort of the bed, shedding their clothes along the way to the master bath, and Andreas grabbing a bottle of lube. The bathroom was glorious, with a fancy separate shower and large jetted bathtub. Andreas turned on the water for the shower and adjusted the temperature before taking Leto's hand and drawing him into the shower and closing the glass door.

Andreas pulled Leto close as the hot water rained down onto them, and smirked at a happy memory. Leto's emerald green eyes looked up at Andreas curiously. "What are you thinking of?"

"Remember the first shower we ever took together? Back at Henry's old apartment?" Andreas asked.

A small smile crossed Leto's lips then. "Indeed, I do."

Andreas leaned down and kissed Leto, much like he had done that first night ten years ago, and on so many nights since. When he finally broke their kiss, both of their eyes were lust blown. "I really had to hold myself back from ravishing you that night," Andreas admitted.

Leto swallowed and nodded. "I know. Part of me wanted you to, but part of me was grateful for you not pushing and taking advantage. You showed so much gentleness and understanding that night. It made me fall even more in love with you."

Andreas kissed him again before getting a wicked grin on his face. "Well, would it be too forward to ask my _husband_ if I could ravish him in the shower now?"

"Not at all," Leto breathed, letting his hands slide down to cup Andreas' still perfect ass, pulling him closer, letting Andreas feel his arousal.

Andreas groaned and then slowly turned Leto around to face the one wall of the shower. His hands traced over the patterns of the long-dead markings along the elf's back. He grabbed the bottle of body wash and poured some out onto his hands and slowly massaging Leto's back with the slippery soap. His hands wandered farther and farther down until he was gently massaging Leto's buttocks. Leto was beginning to push back into the touch wanting more. Needing more.

Andreas kissed along Leto's neck, up towards one of his pointed ears as one hand began to massage between the cleft of the elf's cheeks and the other held him strong and steady across his chest. Andreas was grinding his own arousal against Leto's hip groaning into his lover's ear as he licked and nipped the sensitive lobe.

"Tell me what you want, Love," Andreas moaned.

Leto groaned and pushed back into Andreas' sturdy form. "Please, Amatus. Take me. I want to feel you inside me."

While they didn't often switch, Leto loved it on occasion. Andreas was a kind, gentle lover, so unlike the only other partner Leto could remember having. Even all these years later, memories of Danarius still haunted the back of the former slave's mind and they were hard to shake, and Andreas knew that. He had to make sure Leto knew it was it him and that he was loved and cherished.

"That's good, Love. I'll give you what you need," Andreas purred into the elf's ear as he grabbed the lube and slicked his fingers and began to work his lover open. "Tell me if it's too much."

Leto pushed back onto the long fingers slowly working him open, enjoying the slight burn of the stretch as Andreas slowly massaged and scissored his fingers in and out. Leto turned awkwardly so Andreas could capture his mouth in a slow, languid kiss.

"Tell me when you're ready, Love," Andreas said softly. "I can't wait to be inside you again."

"I'm…I'm ready _Amatus_ ," Leto groaned pushing his hips back farther and spreading his legs, inviting Andreas between them.

Andreas slathered his cock with lube and lined himself up. "Relax and breathe Love," Andreas said huskily as he began to push into his husband's tight ass. He went slow, pausing at every small flinch, waiting for Leto to adjust to the intrusion.

Once he was fully seated, Andreas wrapped his arms around Leto and began trailing hot kisses along the elf's shoulder blades and up to his neck, breathily saying words of love and encouragement. "I love you so much. You feel so perfect and tight. You feel so wonderful, Love."

Leto grunted in pleasure as Andreas finally began to slide his cock out slowly and then back in, again and again. Leto's channel was so hot, tight and welcoming, Andreas tried to savor every slide for as long as he could, until it was finally too much and the urge to move faster was overwhelming. Leto was keening with pleasure, begging with need, pushing back on every thrust to bury Andreas deeper inside of him.

"Please, _Amatus_ ," Leto cried. "Please, touch me…please."

Andreas gratefully complied, sliding one hand from Leto's hip around to his burgeoning erection, grasping it firmly and stroking it in time with his thrusts while nuzzling Leto's neck, kissing and licking. Leto hitched his breath at the touch and Andreas hummed in approval. "That's it Love, cum for me. Let me feel you cum around my cock."

Leto cried out his release as he came, coating Andreas' hand with his seed, convulsing and clenching as Andreas thrust harder, more urgently, chasing his own release. Andreas gripped Leto's hips tight as he pushed himself flush with the elf, letting go and filling his lover with his warm release.

They stood there for several long moments, letting the water of the shower just cascade off of them as they caught their breath, leaning against the wall to help support their shaky legs.

Andreas smirked, planting kisses along Leto's neck once he'd recovered from his intense orgasm. "That would have made our first shower together much more memorable," Andreas said with a grin as Leto turned around to face him. "…and probably gotten us kicked out of Henry's apartment to boot."

Leto smirked back at him. "I would have been most displeased with you if that had happened," he said as he placed kisses along Andreas' collarbone.

"Would you have _punished_ me for it? Right then and there, in front of Henry's apartment building?" Andreas asked with a cheeky grin, baring his neck for Leto's kisses and licks.

"No, I would have dragged you into the nearest alley first," Leto growled softly. "Then I would have pulled you over my knee and given you a very sound spanking."

"Hah, that would have been memorable," Andreas laughed. "It makes me wonder why you never tried that in Kirkwall…"

Leto bit down on Andreas' soft flesh, causing the man to moan. "I did actually think about it quite frequently," Leto confessed. "Especially after one of our many arguments, all I wanted to do was drag you back to my mansion and gag you, tie you up and punish that delicious ass of yours," Leto growled again, his hands grasping Andreas' ass firmly to punctuate his point.

"Oh _Maker_ ," Andreas said with a quiver in his voice. "You're making me wish I still had that Warden stamina."

Leto chuckled. "Are you asking me to _punish_ you, Amatus?"

Andreas' lips spread into a wide grin. "Yes, please! My first _punishment_ from my husband!" Andreas sounded almost giddy. Leto laughed.

"Let's finish the shower first," Leto said shaking his head with a smile.

"Yes, _sir_ ," Andreas said with a laugh.

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing together. Leto warmed Andreas' backside just the way he liked it, using his favorite leather belt, and then they made love in the big fluffy bed, finally falling asleep in each other's arms for a much needed nap.

...

Later that evening their dinner was delivered. All meals at the resort were included and were delivered on a set schedule. Andreas went to let the staff in, who quickly set their table with romantic candle light and fancy table settings.

Once they were gone Leto wandered out of the bedroom, wearing only his underwear and eyed the dinner with suspicion. "What is that?"

Andreas looked over the menu schedule and read aloud. "Lobster tail with lemon garlic butter, served with a side of wild rice pilaf and seared asparagus."

"Lobster is…fish…isn't it?" Leto said, mouth twisting in disgust. "I thought you told them I don't like fish?"

"Actually, it's shellfish," Andreas corrected him. "It's different from fish. Come on, at least try it, ok?"

Leto moved towards the table and sat down, still unsure. Andreas proceeded to pick up the small fork next to the lobster tail, which had already been cracked open and the lobster was cut into bite-sized pieces. He picked up a piece with the fork, dipped it into the lemon garlic butter, and lifted it to Leto's mouth. "Try a bite, for me? Please, Love?"

Leto opened his mouth with a huff and took the piece of lobster in his mouth and tentatively gave it a cautious chew. His eyes flew open in surprise as a moan came from deep in his throat, as he enthusiastically chewed the lobster before swallowing it down. "That's…delicious!"

Andreas grinned knowingly. "I know. I had a chance to try lobster once a few years ago, when I went out with some of my medical school buddies. It's expensive but delicious."

Leto began enthusiastically eating his meal while Andreas poured each of them a glass of Champaign. Raising his glass in a toast. "To us. May we live happily ever after."

Leto clinked his glass with Andreas'. "Indeed. I am all in favor of happily ever after."

After dinner they both put on some shorts and t-shirts and decided to take a moonlight stroll on the beach. Their suite faced the ocean and the beach was mere steps from their door. They found themselves completely alone and Andreas was grateful he had the forethought of bringing a towel, as they spread it onto the sun-warmed sand and made love again under the moonlight.

Later, tucked into bed and wrapped in each other's arms Andreas placed a soft kiss on the top of Leto's head. "Mmm this is actually one of my favorite memories of us."

"What is?" Leto asked sleepily.

"Waking up at Henry's that first morning, with you in my arms," Andreas reminisced. "I couldn't believe you were cuddling with me and I remember kissing your head just like that. I never dreamed we'd end up here, happily married, but for a fleeting moment that morning I dared to hope for it anyway."

Leto tilted his head up to look into his husband's eyes, cupping his cheek with one hand. "I love you Andreas. We have both come so far since that day and I want you to know that every single day we've had together has been precious to me. Every single day we still have together will be equally precious."

"Every single day I get to wake up with my arms full of handsome elf is precious," Andreas said with a smile before kissing his gorgeous husband. "Good night, my love."

Leto snuggled down into the crook of Andreas' shoulder and made a contented noise. "Good night, _Amatus_."

...

The first week of their honeymoon flew by quickly and both of them began to tan, despite all the sun block Andreas insisted they both slather on head-to-toe before going out to the beach each day. Andreas skin had turned a delicious golden brown, while Leto's dusky skin turned even darker, making his markings less prominent. They mostly spent their time relaxing on the beach, drinking fancy fruit drinks with little umbrellas. Occasionally they would play in the ocean but Leto was wary of the water and waves.

Andreas then saw a brochure for a snorkeling tour and begged Leto to try it. "I have no interest in such endeavors. I am content just relaxing here on the beach with you."

"Aww, please, Love," Andreas begged. "It could be fun!"

It took another day of pouting but Leto finally relented and Andreas made the reservation for the next day's tour. They gathered the next morning with several other couples at the docks, where they met with the tour guide. They were given a complete briefing of how the equipment worked, and they were all outfitted with floatation vests, flippers, goggles and snorkels. The guide promised to give all the beginners a quick lesson once they reached the cove where they were to go snorkeling.

The entire group was ushered onto a small boat and they took over swiftly across the water, the boat bouncing hard over the ocean waves. Leto was not amused, while Andreas laughed while holding on tight to both the boat and his lover.

By the time they reached the cove, Leto was in a foul mood, one that even a silly pout from Andreas couldn't break. _Uh-oh_.

The group clambered out of the boat and geared up, Leto hanging back and just scowling. Andreas approached him, looking ridiculous with the flippers on his feet and the snorkeling gear around his neck. "Come on, Love. Please try it. I know the boat ride was rough but this part should be fun."

"Rough doesn't begin to describe that nightmare," Leto said. "It…reminded me too much…"

Andreas finally realized why Leto was so upset. The way they had bounced hard in the boat, probably felt a lot like having their backsides paddled, and it had triggered Leto's memories of abuse. "Oh I'm so sorry, Love. I didn't realize…but I promise this part should be fun and not painful, OK?" Andreas drew Leto into a gentle embrace and Leto let out a sigh. "Alright."

Andreas helped Leto put on his gear and they joined the guide for the beginners' lesson, wading out into the calm, warm water until they were about waist high. The guide then showed them how to bend over and place their face into the water, and to breathe through their mouths using the snorkel. It took a few tries to avoid a brief feeling of panic but once he got the hang of it, Andreas thought it was pretty easy.

Leto seemed to get the hang of it as well and the calm, warm waters seemed to soothe him. The other couples seemed to avoid them, probably because of Leto's markings and ears, which still seemed to disconcert people who didn't know them. Leto paid them no mind, but it did bother Andreas a little bit. He loved Leto no matter if he had white markings, black markings or no markings at all.

They headed out then, wading farther into the cove until it was deep enough to swim. The guide took them out towards a small reef that was teeming with colorful fish and other underwater wildlife. Once they started snorkeling and looking at the wildlife that the guide pointed out, Andreas became fascinated. The curious scholar in him paid rapt attention to every word. Beneath the water the world was quiet, calm and strangely beautiful. It looked like an alien world.

Andreas enthusiastically grabbed Leto's hand and pointed out various colorful fish, and a particularly large lobster. Leto seemed calm, almost tranquil, next to his excited husband. Andreas took calm as a good sign as Leto was never one prone to excitability.

Afterwards the entire group shared a picnic lunch on the beach by the cove, and while some people still eyed Leto warily, the other couples began to warm up to the newlyweds because of Andreas' easy, laid-back charm. It was evident to everyone how much they doted on each other and it put most of the group at ease, despite Leto's somewhat alarming appearance.

The guide at one point looked at Leto and asked. "So, are those some kind of…tribal tattoos?"

Leto took a deep breath and re-iterated a brief version of the story he'd original told Miranda years ago, that he and his family had been held as slaves somewhere in Eastern Europe and that his former _master_ had forced these markings upon his skin, along with the modification to his ears.

This elicited sympathetic noises from the group and those still giving him a wary look began to see him in a new light. The rest of the afternoon was spent with pleasant conversation before having to go back on the boat, which Leto dreaded. The guide sensed his trepidation and allowed Leto to sit closer to the front, where the ride would be somewhat smoother, and gave him a more cushioned seat as well. Leto was forever grateful for the kindness.

Once back at their suite, Andreas babbled incessantly about everything they'd done that day and Leto just sat back on the couch, nodding and occasionally smiling. After about an hour he finally got up and grabbed Andreas by the shoulders and kissed him soundly, which had the effect of finally shutting him up.

"That's enough, Amatus," Leto said with his signature smirk. "I know you had a wonderful day, and I will admit it was much more pleasant than I had originally feared, but enough is enough."

Andreas calmed himself and embraced his elf. "I'm sorry, Love. I've just never done something so amazing before."

"Neither have I, and I will admit it was spectacular. I had no idea how beautiful life beneath the ocean waters could be," Leto admitted. "Now why don't we try and take a nap before dinner arrives?"

Andreas pouted. "What if I don't want to take a nap?"

Leto grinned wickedly. "I'm sure we can find something else to occupy our time in the bedroom. Now come along before I spank that incorrigible ass of yours."

"Yes, _sir_!" Andreas laughed as he rushed towards the bedroom.

...

They arrived back at their apartment on the Friday before Andreas had to return to his residency work. They were cautioned not to arrive back on Sunday as they would need a couple of days to recover from their travels. This turned out to be sound advice as the newlyweds spent a significant portion of that weekend napping in each other's arms.

By Sunday evening they finally felt rested and Andreas was eager to return to his work. While he may not have magic to heal anymore, all the modern medical tecniques he'd learned during his years in medical school made him feel partially whole again. In the end he realized that it wasn't his magic, but his ability to heal people was what he missed most.

"So are you slated to teach any classes at the studio this week?" Andreas asked. Leto had a rotating roster of other trainers on his staff now and so he didn't have to teach unless he really wanted to.

Leto nodded. "I am teaching on Tuesday and Thursday this week. The rest of the week will be coordinating with the management team regarding the various franchises, and reviewing new franchise requests."

Andreas smiled and stroked Leto's face, pushing some of his snow white hair behind a pointed ear. "Look at you, such a businessman. Not only are you no longer an actual slave, you've also avoided becoming a _corporate slave_ as well. I'm so proud of you… _husband_."

Leto smiled genuinely at the praise. "We've both come a long way, you and I. This world has allowed us to accomplish so much more than we could have dreamed. I'm so glad we've been able to share this journey together."

After a quick kiss Andreas got a rather mischievous look on his face.

"What are you scheming?" Leto asked teasingly.

"Oh, well…now that I'm done with school and we're married," Andreas began. "I was wondering…how do you feel about adoption?"

Leto sat up at that. "You wish…to adopt? A child?"

Andreas laughed. "No, no, no, not a child. A cat! You know I've always wanted a cat since I had to leave behind Ser Pounce-a-Lot at Vigil's Keep. Could we adopt a cat? Please?"

Leto chuckled and shook his head. "Give me a week to get used to the idea, and then next weekend we'll go down to the local shelter and see what they have, OK?"

Andreas pulled Leto in for a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

A week later, Andreas was sitting happily on the couch with a small ball of orange fur curled up on his lap, purring loudly. His grin practically lit up the room and Leto decided if the cat made his husband that _happy_ , it would be worth whatever trouble it would cause.

…and much trouble was most definitely caused by Prince Purrs-a-Lot.


	27. Epilogue

**~10 Years Later ~**

Andreas looked up from his desk and saw Leto leaning in the door frame of his clinic office, grinning. "I'm sorry, Love," Andreas smiled weakly. "You know how busy the clinic gets around this time of year."

"It's quite alright, _Amatus_ ," Leto said, sauntering over to his husband. "I'm just here to pick you up for our special dinner tonight."

"Oh that's tonight!? I…I completely forgot!" Andreas stammered, blushing "I am so sorry, Love. Give me one more moment and I'll be ready to go."

As Andreas organized his paperwork for the next day, Leto gazed at him lovingly. His hair was now streaked with some strands of grey, and he had cut in a short, professional style. He looked more mature now, serious. He held the weight of the world on his shoulders, on an endless campaign to help everyone less fortunate than he was. They had been so very fortunate, more so than most. The past twenty years seemed to have gone by so fast.

One comfort was that, if they had remained in Thedas, Andreas may have had to heed his Calling by now while here they could still look forward to a few more decades of marital bliss. Tonight was their tenth wedding anniversary and Leto had promised a romantic dinner out for his overworked husband. What he hadn't told him was that he'd planned a surprise gathering of all their old friends, including Henry, Miranda, Casey, Madelyn and of course David Gaider.

Leto's self-defense studio franchise was still doing very well, with nearly 300 locations open now across the United States and Canada. Andreas had completed his medical residency seven years ago and opened a new, larger, privately funded free clinic next to the mission.

It had been so successful that he turned to Leto's business expertise to open additional clinics across Denver. By being privately funded, they weren't restricted by a number of government regulations that weighed down the public clinics. The concept worked so well that philanthropists across the country approached Andreas to open similar clinics in other cities. There were now nearly fifty, all branded under a foundation that Leto and Henry helped Andreas found, called the _Bauermann Free Clinic Foundation_.

Leto couldn't have been more proud of his husband when Andreas was honored a couple of years ago by the mayor of Denver for his selfless and tireless efforts to help the poor and homeless. Leto knew it made Andreas feel better about himself and his past choices, by making a real difference in people's lives.

"Alright, all done!" Andreas said cheerfully. "So where are you taking me tonight, Love? Maybe that new sushi place downtown that just opened?" he asked hopefully.

Leto chuckled. Andreas had been begging him for _weeks_ to go, knowing that Leto still disliked fish, raw or otherwise.

"You'll see," Leto huffed. "Now come along, husband."

"Yes, _husband_ ," Andreas replied with a twinkle in his eye, taking Leto's hand in his as they walked out towards Leto's car. Leto had _finally,_ about five years' prior, gotten over his terror of cars and learned how to drive one himself. It was either that or hiring a personal driver because he could never rely on the public taxi services or public transportation to get him where he needed to go in time. Leto was far too frugal to pay for a personal driver so he finally relented into getting a driver's license. Leto was an overly cautious driver and driving still made him nervous, but he couldn't deny the convenience of being able to get around the city by himself.

They headed downtown and parked in one of the many parking structures in LoDo. Walking hand-in-hand Leto led Andreas to one of their favorite restaurants. Not the new sushi place Andreas had been hoping for, because try as he might, Leto could not get a reservation for the large group at the popular new restaurant.

Normally Leto insisted on a quiet, romantic, dinner for two on their anniversary. However, Andreas had always been more gregarious than he was and he loved being surrounded by friends, so to mark this milestone anniversary Leto decided to surprise him with an anniversary party with their friends instead.

As they entered the establishment Leto couldn't see their friends, but he didn't worry as he knew they were seated in a private room he had reserved for the occasion. He whispered into the ear of the hostess who led them back to where their friends were waiting.

As they were led past their usual table, Andreas squeezed Leto's hand. "Where is she taking us? That's our table…"

Leto squeezed back. "You'll see. Patience _Amatus_."

As they approached the private room, the hostess opened the curtained French doors to reveal a large table surrounded by their friends. In one corner there was a crackling fireplace, adding ambiance to the room.

Andreas was stunned by the surprise. "Happy Tenth Anniversary, Amatus," Leto said before kissing Andreas soundly. When they broke the kiss their friends all let out a cheer and Andreas blushed.

"Wow, this is wonderful, Love," Andreas grinned and then went around the room greeting everyone. They still saw Henry regularly but the rest they didn't have as much time to visit with. Finally, he came to David and he pulled him into an embrace. "You're looking good, oh great and powerful Maker," Andreas teased him. They hadn't seen him in a couple of years, although they kept in touch via email and social media.

David smiled. "I am so proud of both of you. You've accomplished so much and gone so much farther than I could ever have imagined when I first started writing your characters. Happy Anniversary."

The rest of the evening was a blur of catching up with old friends between bites of good food and even better wine.

Henry's daughter was now in high school and making her papa very proud. Madelyn was doing research into making holograms more solid, so that perhaps one day the denizens of her A.I. enhanced Dragon Age could actually physically interact in our world, not unlike the concept of the Holodeck on Star Trek. Also she had transferred the game, her A.I. mod and it's denizens to a secure server farm so that their world would remain safe.

Miranda had retired from her position as CEO from the non-profit that had helped Andreas and Leto get on their own two feet so many years ago, and was enjoying living in a quiet town up in the mountains in a small cabin she'd purchased. Casey had also retired from working at the Mission, letting someone younger take over the reins while he went on extended fishing trips. David had also long since retired, although he still was a prolific writer, mostly writing original works of fiction and having become a well-known author in his own right.

Later that night as Andreas and Leto lay curled up in bed together, cuddling with a loudly purring Prince Purrs-a-Lot curled up between them, Andreas pulled Leto close, causing the cat to make an annoyed _mrrp_ before leaving the bed. Leto wrapped his arms around his lover and noticed that Andreas was shaking. When he looked up, he realized Andreas was crying.

"What's wrong Amatus?" Leto asked, sitting up and cupping Andreas face with his hands, thumbs wiping away the tears.

"I…was just thinking," Andreas said softly, "How quickly time has passed since we first arrived here. It's been twenty years. Imagine… _twenty years_! It all still seems like yesterday. How much more quickly will the next twenty years pass? How much time do we still have left?"

Leto looked at him affectionately. "Perhaps fearing our inevitable end, we should just make the most of each and every day we have together, yes?"

Andreas nodded. "Maybe…maybe I could hire a personal assistant, someone who could help me so I don't have to work so many hours. Then I could have more time to spend with you."

Leto grinned at that. "I'd like that Amatus. I'd like that very much. You always put everyone else before yourself. After so many years, it's time you put yourself first. You've done so much good, and you deserve some good in return. I'll spoil you rotten if you start spending more time with me. You'll have anything you want."

"I already have the best thing ever," Andreas said looking at Leto with so much love and affection it caused Leto's breath to catch. "I have you."


	28. GoodBye

This is just a note to all the people who read/enjoy my stories here that I have decided to post exclusively on AO3 (ArchiveofOurOwn) going forward. All my stories that are here are there already so you just have to look for my username to find them.

Why am I leaving this site? For many reasons but the primary ones:

The posting process here is a lot more complex

This site doesn't allow me to flag potential triggers in my stories or set keywords/tags

The "reviews" vs. ability to comment here doesn't foster communication between reader and writer

I'll leave my profile up for a while but I will eventually completely remove/delete it so if you really like my content please go to AO3.


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